SSAA NSW CEO Pete Szaak meets with NSW Opposition Leader Kellie Sloane as firearms policy moves firmly onto the political agenda.
There is no question that firearms legislation will be an important issue for many SSAA NSW members as New South Wales moves towards the 2027 State Election.
My role as CEO is not to tell our members how to vote.
It is to make sure decision-makers understand the practical consequences of firearms policy, to advocate for our members, and to make sure our members know what the major political parties are actually proposing.
That is why I have continued meeting with Members of Parliament from across the political spectrum.
Recently, I have been in discussions with NSW Opposition Leader Kellie Sloane and her office regarding the NSW Liberals’ developing position on firearms laws.
Those discussions have now resulted in the Opposition providing SSAA NSW with a clear outline of the position it intends to take forward.
What are the NSW Liberals proposing?
The NSW Liberals have advised that, if elected in March 2027, their current policy is to:
• freeze the firearms buyback;
• remove the firearm caps for primary producers, sporting shooters and professional shooters;
• remove gun-club membership requirements for primary producers and professional shooters where they consider those requirements unnecessary; and
• establish an independent Commission of Inquiry into the NSW Firearms Registry and NSW firearms laws.
The proposed Commission of Inquiry would examine the legislation introduced following the Bondi terrorist attack, including issues surrounding genuine reason, recreational hunting for vermin control, firearm collections and family heirlooms.
It would also consider matters including the P650 system, citizenship requirements, magazine capacities, appeal mechanisms and the operation and modernisation of the NSW Firearms Registry.
The Opposition has separately stated publicly that it supports strong firearms laws but believes the present arrangements require further examination and that the buyback should not proceed in its current form while that occurs.
Where does SSAA NSW stand?
While I welcomed the opportunity to have this discussion, I was equally clear about the position I have consistently put forward on behalf of SSAA NSW.
Our preferred position remains the repeal of the TOLA firearms amendments and the associated buyback.
I conveyed to the Opposition that rather than progressively repairing individual parts of legislation that SSAA NSW believes was developed too quickly and without sufficient consultation, our preference is for the process to be reset and any future reforms considered through proper consultation, evidence and transparent scrutiny.
That position has not changed simply because another political party has released a policy.
At the same time, it is important that we recognise where political parties are moving and report that accurately to our members.
The Opposition’s proposal is not the same as the full repeal position sought by SSAA NSW. It proposes freezing the buyback, removing particular caps and establishing an inquiry that would determine the pathway for further reform.
That distinction matters.
What is happening under the current arrangements?
The NSW Government’s position is different.
It maintains that the reforms introduced following the December 2025 Bondi terrorist attack strengthen community safety through tighter firearm ownership limits, classification changes and additional licensing requirements.
The Government has announced that NSW participation in the National Gun Buyback Scheme will commence on 2 November 2026, initially covering eligible firearms affected by the new ownership limits and classification changes.
These are significant policy differences and members deserve to understand them.
Our job is to put the questions on the table
My discussions with Kellie Sloane are part of a much broader program of political engagement being undertaken by SSAA NSW.
We will continue speaking with the Government, Opposition, crossbench and other Members of Parliament.
We will agree with politicians when their proposals align with the interests of our members and we will challenge them when we believe they do not.
Importantly, SSAA NSW will not tell its members which political party or candidate they should support.
Our members come from every part of NSW and hold a broad range of political views. How each member ultimately votes is a decision for them alone.
What we will do is keep asking the questions.
What happens to the firearm caps?
What happens to the buyback?
What happens to reclassified firearms?
What happens to sporting shooters competing across multiple disciplines?
What happens to recreational hunters?
What happens to primary producers, collectors and firearm businesses?
And, perhaps most importantly, what evidence demonstrates that the measures being proposed will deliver an improvement in public safety?
Those are legitimate questions regardless of which side of politics is answering them.
The fact that firearms policy is now being openly debated ahead of the 2027 NSW State Election provides an opportunity for every political party to explain its position clearly.
We will keep putting those positions in front of our members.
Then our members can read them, compare them, ask questions and make up their own minds.
Pete Szaak
Chief Executive Officer, SSAA NSW
