Australia Institute
Key points:
- NSW Police firearm statistics show that just 100 individuals own a total of 13,470 guns between them, or 135 guns each on average (NSW Firearms Registry: Table 2.2).
- A single individual in Sydney’s inner north owns 371 guns.
- Of the top 100 gun owners in NSW, 41 of them live in urban postcodes.
- Australia Institute research shows that over 200,000 gun licensees are giving misleading information or failing to update their gun licence conditions.
“These numbers show that Australia has been complacent on gun control for too long,” said Rod Campbell, Research Director at The Australia Institute.
“Police statistics show that there are large private arsenals being held in urban areas, a major risk to public safety.
“There are more guns in Australia now than at any point in the country’s history, including before the Port Arthur massacre.
“Australians expect their gun laws to keep them safe, and the proposed reforms of capping gun ownership and a buyback of excess guns in NSW are good places to start.”
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