February 9, 2026
The State Government will introduce new laws into the Queensland Parliament next week to tighten firearms legislation and boost penalties for illegal weapons.
A media statement on Monday said the Bill would include:
- Increased penalties for trafficking firearms or ammunition, increasing the maximum penalty to life imprisonment
- Strengthened police powers to disrupt illegal firearm trafficking
- A new offence prohibiting the reckless discharge of a weapon towards a building or vehicle to crack down on the rise in drive-by shootings, including those targeting places of worship
- Expanded powers for police to consider a broader range of matters when determining weapons licence eligibility, including any history of violence, threatened violence or weapons-related offending
- New requirements for Queensland weapons licence holders to be Australian citizens (subject to limited exceptions)
- A new offence prohibiting the possession and distribution of blueprints for 3D-printed firearms.
Police Minister Dan Purdie said the laws were not aimed at law-abiding residents.
“We are giving police stronger powers to stop illegal firearms from entering our communities and strengthening the laws that determine who is fit and proper to hold a weapons licence,” Minister Purdie said.
“These reforms also target the alarming rise in drive-by shootings, including those targeting places of worship, and crackdown on emerging threats like 3D-printed firearms.
“These laws are squarely aimed at terrorists, criminals and organised crime syndicates not law-abiding Queenslanders, as we continue to make Queensland safer.”
Last month, the State Government announced it would not support a national gun buyback scheme, part of the Federal Government’s response to the Bondi massacre.
Funding for the buyback scheme would have been split between the two governments.
Data released in January by the Department of Home Affairs showed Queensland had the second-highest number of registered firearms at 1,143,895, just behind NSW at 1,158,654.
Across all of Australia there were 4,113,735 registered firearms with 929,741 licences.
