A New South Wales Libertarian MP has pushed for Australia’s most populous state to embed its own right to possess and carry firearms.
The Constitution Amendment (Right to Possess and Carry Firearms) Bill 2025 (pdf) would enshrine this right into the Constitution Act 1902 of New South Wales.
In Australia, there is currently no constitutional right to own a gun like the United States. Instead, gun ownership is regulated at the federal and state level—effectively a “privilege” instead of a right.
Libertarian Member of the Legislative Council John Ruddick explained his party reasons.
“It is a deeply held principle. I hope to one day be re-elected to this place, but if I am not and if I had never made the case I make today, I would have considered my time here wasted,” Ruddick said in Parliament on June 5 (pdf).
“The question of gun ownership in Australia has been a taboo, but in the post-COVID era and with escalating street crime, I believing there is rising interest in the question of whether the state should restrict firearm ownership and enjoy a monopoly on firearms itself.”
The Libertarians hold one seat in the NSW upper house.
Ruddick Argues Gun Rights Will Counter Excess Government
Ruddick also argued that gun ownership could be an effective counterweight to excess government power.
“This argument can seem strange at first to people who have become comfortable in our peaceful and stable democracy,” he said, saying there was a need to avoid complacency.
“If we were to wait until we have reached the precipice of tyranny to resist, then it would be too late and, without guns, we would be powerless,” he argued.
The Libertarian politician also sought to draw a link between gun ownership in the United States, and lower vaccine uptake, where 75 percent of Americans over 12 had received the vaccine, compared to 95 percent in Australia.
“Why the difference? Australia and America had similar political leadership bullying us into taking warp-speed vaccines. We had similar corporate media propaganda, similar social media shadow banning, similar bureaucracy, similar courts and similar bimbo celebrities pushing the warp-speed vaccines, but there was significantly less uptake in America,” he said.
“Why would that be?
“I put it that it is because the American government knows that it cannot treat the American people like farm animals. In disarmed Australia, we were not so lucky. We were treated like farm animals. Because of parliaments like this one, Australia’s reputation has been tarnished internationally because of our world’s worst, most draconian response to COVID.”
Debate was adjourned on the bill without further debate and speakers from the two major parties. In New South Wales, both Labor and Liberal support strict gun control for public safety consistent with the National Firearms Agreement.
What’s the Deal in New South Wales?
Minister for Agriculture Tara Moriarty told Parliament on June 5 while discussing separate legislation that “ownership and use of firearms in New South Wales is a privilege and that public safety must always come first.”
In New South Wales and most of Australia, a person must hold a licence or permit to own a gun.
“All firearms used by licence and permit holders in NSW must be registered, except for firearms that are exempt from registration requirements,” the NSW government states.
“Any person possessing or using a firearm must be authorised for that specific category of firearm by a current firearms licence or permit.”
Western Australia Recently Tightened Gun Laws
In Western Australia, the Labor government recently passed the “toughest gun laws in Australia.”
The new laws require gun owners to undertake a regular health assessment, including a check for mental health, and comply with new storage requirements. Any individual who decides to apply for a gun licence must undertake “mandatory firearms training.”
“‘I’m unapologetic for our safety-first approach which strengthens gun controls and enhances public safety,” Labor Premier Roger Cook said in 2024.
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