The Allan government has released its response to the Ken Lay review of Victoria’s gun laws. Key takeaways for the shooting community:
* **The four-firearm cap was rejected.** Lay recommended capping category A and B licence holders at four firearms. The government knocked it back — the only recommendation it didn’t accept.
* **No Victorian buyback.** Victoria has joined Queensland and the NT in opposing the federal buyback scheme. SA isn’t changing its laws either, WA already finished theirs, and the scheme is at risk of collapsing nationally.
* **Lay himself conceded** *”there is no clear evidence that numerical caps on individual ownership, by themselves, reduce firearms-related harm.”*
* **Shooters and farmers were heard.** Regional pushback was clearly a factor — Premier Allan holds the seat of Bendigo in an election year.
* **Legitimate use acknowledged in writing.** The response explicitly recognised the legitimate need of primary producers, professional and recreational hunters, and sports shooters to lawfully possess, carry and use firearms.
* **On reclassification.** No specific firearm types (including pump-action or lever-release) have been named in the response, but the government is expanding Victoria Police’s existing administrative power to reclassify firearms — meaning action-type reclassifications could happen later without new legislation.
**What licence holders should still be aware of:**
* Licences restricted to Australian citizens, NZ permanent residents, or non-citizens with an occupational need
* Tougher sentences for firearms offences
* Stricter licensing decisions
* Victoria Police given more powers to reclassify weapons
* Real-time intelligence sharing (including AusCheck) feeding into licensing
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The Allan government has released its response to the Ken Lay review of Victoria’s gun laws. Key takeaways for the shooting community:
* **The four-firearm cap was rejected.** Lay recommended capping category A and B licence holders at four firearms. The government knocked it back — the only recommendation it didn’t accept.
* **No Victorian buyback.** Victoria has joined Queensland and the NT in opposing the federal buyback scheme. SA isn’t changing its laws either, WA already finished theirs, and the scheme is at risk of collapsing nationally.
* **Lay himself conceded** *”there is no clear evidence that numerical caps on individual ownership, by themselves, reduce firearms-related harm.”*
* **Shooters and farmers were heard.** Regional pushback was clearly a factor — Premier Allan holds the seat of Bendigo in an election year.
* **Legitimate use acknowledged in writing.** The response explicitly recognised the legitimate need of primary producers, professional and recreational hunters, and sports shooters to lawfully possess, carry and use firearms.
* **On reclassification.** No specific firearm types (including pump-action or lever-release) have been named in the response, but the government is expanding Victoria Police’s existing administrative power to reclassify firearms — meaning action-type reclassifications could happen later without new legislation.
**What licence holders should still be aware of:**
* Licences restricted to Australian citizens, NZ permanent residents, or non-citizens with an occupational need
* Tougher sentences for firearms offences
* Stricter licensing decisions
* Victoria Police given more powers to reclassify weapons
* Real-time intelligence sharing (including AusCheck) feeding into licensing