Overview
- Documents show Commissioner Donna Adams wrote to Police Minister Felix Ellis on February 5 urging tougher laws and consideration of limits on how many firearms an individual can own, citing Port Arthur, the Bondi massacre and the 2025 killing of Constable Keith Smith.
- Three weeks later the government ruled out caps, with Premier Jeremy Rockliff and Minister Ellis arguing limits would punish responsible owners, and a Liberal MP on March 15 reaffirming that stance.
- Labor and the Greens accused the government of ignoring police advice and said they will move to legislate mandatory caps in parliament.
- Adams reported 157,022 registered firearms in Tasmania held by 46,598 licence holders, with almost 9,000 owning six or more, and warned that theft of legal guns elevates community and police risks.
- Tasmania is proceeding with other measures flagged after the Bondi attack, including a buyback scheme, citizenship checks for purchasers and reclassification of high-powered firearms.