Australia's 1996 gun laws reduced mass shootings.

Is it true that Australia's 1996 gun laws reduced mass shootings?

Partly. Peer-reviewed work reports that after Australia's 1996 reforms there were no fatal mass shootings for over a decade, and a scoping review finds restrictive national laws reduce firearm mortality. Other peer-reviewed analyses find no large effect of the reforms on firearm homicide or suicide and dispute the effectiveness claims, so the evidence covers the claim only in part and points both ways.

Verdict: CONTESTED PARTIAL · 3 sources for, 2 against · Last checked 18 Oct 2026

The private library was unavailable for some searches in this check. Missing library results are not evidence against the claim.

Gun laws of Australia. (n.d.). en.wikipedia.org. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gun_laws_of_Australia

C, L. (2025). A critical Response to "How firearm legislation impacts firearm mortality", A focused look at Canadian and Australian evidence.. doi.org. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hpopen.2025.100137

S, C., P, A., K, A., & M, J. (2006). Australia's 1996 gun law reforms: faster falls in firearm deaths, firearm suicides, and a decade without mass shootings.. doi.org. https://doi.org/10.1136/ip.2006.013714

B, G., A, B., A, N., R, P., SM, W., N, V., A, B., S, K., TC, S., N, D., F, A., B, S., N, S., EC, B., M, B., D, M., J, L., J, M., & N, A. (2024). How firearm legislation impacts firearm mortality internationally: A scoping review.. doi.org. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hpopen.2024.100127

LEE, W. & SUARDI, S. (2010). THE AUSTRALIAN FIREARMS BUYBACK AND ITS EFFECT ON GUN DEATHS. doi.org. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1465-7287.2009.00165.x