Today, the Federal Parliament’s Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security is holding its second public hearing on the Combatting Antisemitism, Hate and Extremism Bill 2026.
Buried in Schedule 4 of that Bill are the most significant changes to Commonwealth firearms import controls in decades: 127 pages of highly technical amendments affecting everything from assisted repeating action rifles to frames and receivers, certification processes, and even online firearms content.
These are not symbolic changes. They are complex, technical reforms with real-world consequences for licensed firearm owners, importers, dealers, trainers and competitive shooters across Australia.
A one-sided witness list
Despite the technical nature of the firearm changes in the Bill, the committee’s witness list is strikingly unbalanced.
The hearing will feature religious organisations, human rights groups, former public servants and “rule of law” commentators. The Alannah & Madeline Foundation / Australian Gun Safety Alliance has been allocated a 30-minute appearance.
What is missing is just as telling.
There are no peak shooting organisations, including SSAA, which represents more than 200,000 licensed firearm owners nationally.
No firearms manufacturers or importers who deal with Commonwealth customs controls daily.
No licensed dealers whose businesses are directly affected by import and classification decisions.
No professional firearms trainers, competitive shooters, or technical experts in firearm design and operation.
In short, ideology has been invited to the table; expertise has not.
Why this matters
The Bill introduces highly technical provisions that require a detailed understanding of:
- Firearm operating systems and action types
- Import classification frameworks
- Certification and grandfathering arrangements
- The practical consequences for legitimate users and small businesses
Experience tells us that when technical regulation is developed without technical input, unintended consequences are inevitable. Bureaucratic assurances that “everything has been considered” routinely prove wrong once legislation meets reality.
The Alannah & Madeline Foundation and AGSA
The Alannah & Madeline Foundation and its astroturf shell organisation, the Australian Gun Safety Alliance, oppose civilian firearm ownership as a matter of principle. They consistently advocate bans and buybacks without distinguishing between firearm types, lawful uses, or occupational necessity.
They do not possess, and do not claim to possess, technical expertise in firearms operation, import controls, or regulatory implementation.
They also claim to represent a “silent majority” of Australians. The electoral record tells a different story: when their public figurehead Walter Mikac ran for Parliament in 2018, he attracted just 0.98% of the vote.
A Robodebt-style intelligence model
Among the most troubling elements of the Bill are provisions establishing automated criminal intelligence assessments with no meaningful right of review.
Under the proposed framework:
- ACIC may use computer programs to generate adverse intelligence assessments
- Individuals may not be notified of those assessments
- Access to the Administrative Review Tribunal merits review is explicitly denied
The justification offered is that firearms licensing is a “privilege” rather than an entitlement.
That reasoning is flawed.
For thousands of Australians, such as professional pest controllers, primary producers, security workers, and employees in the firearms industry, a firearms licence is a prerequisite for employment. Losing it means losing a livelihood.
Judicial review remains technically available, but in practice it is inaccessible to most Australians. Federal Court proceedings cost tens of thousands of dollars and examine the process, not the substance of intelligence assessments. This creates a two-tier justice system where only the wealthy can challenge errors.
Automated systems will make mistakes. Intelligence databases contain outdated records, mistaken identities and incorrect information. Without notification or an affordable review, errors cannot be corrected.
Every other AusCheck framework, including aviation and maritime security, preserves notification and review rights. Firearms licence holders are singled out for lesser protections.
This is Robodebt logic: automate decisions affecting livelihoods, deny transparency, remove review mechanisms, and assume the system cannot fail. We know how that ended.
The practical consequence
Parliament is being asked to legislate complex firearms controls while excluding the people who actually understand these issues.
The broader political context
Following the Bondi terrorist attack, the Prime Minister wants to be seen to be “doing something”.
It is politically easier to tighten legal firearms import controls than to grapple with the hard realities of countering violent extremism, radicalisation and intelligence failures.
Law-abiding firearm owners have become a convenient target in a debate that should never have been about them.
What about Victoria?
It is critical to be clear: this is not the Victorian Government’s process.
Victoria’s firearms licensing and possession framework is governed by state legislation, not Commonwealth import law. While federal import restrictions may affect what can be brought into Australia, they do not rewrite Victoria’s licensing regime.
Importantly, the Victorian Government has chosen a markedly different path.
The review of Victoria’s firearms laws being conducted by Ken Lay AO APM, former Chief Commissioner of Victoria Police, signals an understanding that firearms policy must be evidence-based, technically informed and properly consulted.
SSAA Victoria is actively engaged with the Victorian Government to ensure this process is:
- measured rather than reactive
- informed by genuine expertise
- fair to licensed, law-abiding firearm owners
That approach stands in stark contrast to what we are now seeing federally and what has recently occurred in New South Wales.
Victoria’s process recognises a simple truth: good firearms policy is not built on ideology or political theatre. It is built on evidence, expertise and proper consultation.
SSAA Victoria will continue to work constructively with the Victorian Government to ensure that outcome.
