CANBERRA, Aug. 26 (Xinhua) -- Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and the state and territory leaders on Wednesday signed an agreement to strengthen gun laws following the Bondi Beach terror attack.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and the eight state and territory leaders said in a joint statement after meeting on Wednesday that only Australian citizens will be allowed to hold a firearms license under the updated national firearms agreement.
Additionally, they said the updated agreement signed on Wednesday prohibits the manufacture of 3D-printed firearms as well as the possession and distribution of materials for manufacturing 3D firearms.
The leaders said that the update, the first to the agreement since 2017, will reduce the risk of firearm-related harm following the fatal shooting of 15 people at a Jewish event at Sydney's Bondi Beach in December.
Prioritizing efforts to implement an updated national firearms agreement was one of 14 recommendations made by the ongoing Royal Commission on Antisemitism and Social Cohesion in its interim report handed down in April.
It additionally recommended that all states and territories prioritize efforts to implement a gun buyback scheme. Only the Australian Capital Territory and the state of New South Wales have so far agreed to implement buyback schemes. ■