--- title: "NSW gun buyback: Dealers unaware of government guidance" publication: "MediaBias News" url: "https://mediabias.news/politics/nsw-gun-buyback-dealers-unaware-of-government-guidance" api: "https://mediabias.news/api/v1/stories/nsw-gun-buyback-dealers-unaware-of-government-guidance" markdown: "https://mediabias.news/politics/nsw-gun-buyback-dealers-unaware-of-government-guidance.md" audio: "https://mediabias.news/api/audio/nsw-gun-buyback-dealers-unaware-of-government-guidance" category: "Politics" area: "Asia-Pacific" published: "2026-10-19T06:25:16.846Z" source_reported: "2026-10-19T05:15:00.000Z" updated: "2026-10-19T06:25:16.846Z" trust_score: 48 critic_score: 80 hype_score: 15 assessment_type: "coverage-and-source-reporting-analysis" fact_check_status: "not-performed" coverage_measured: "2026-10-19T07:15:14.617269+00:00" --- # NSW gun buyback: Dealers unaware of government guidance *Firearms dealers in New South Wales report a lack of official information ahead of the state's gun buyback program launch.* **Scores for the source reporting** (0-100, assessing the original journalism this article was written from, not this write-up): - Trust 48 of 100, higher is better. Includes named dealer Craig Mearns and specific start date, but lacks independent sources. - Craft 80 of 100, higher is better. Provides context, quotes dealer, clear facts, but reads like a press release. - Hype 15 of 100, lower is better. Headline matches content; no sensational language. Scored by MediaBias News; method at https://mediabias.news/methodology. **The short version** - New South Wales's gun buyback program is set to begin on November 2, 2026. - Firearms dealers in NSW state they have received no official guidance from the government regarding the buyback process. - Dealers report that new firearms laws have already led to a decrease in amnesty hand-ins. - One dealer noted that a government representative visited his business but was unaware of the specifics of firearms dealing or the upcoming buyback. New South Wales is scheduled to launch its first round of gun buybacks on November 2, 2026. Firearms dealers across the state have stated they have not received official guidance from the government on how the program will function. This lack of information comes despite dealers anticipating their involvement in the process. ## Disagreement on government contact Craig Mearns of Calibre Country said he had received only one official contact from the state government, which was unrelated to managing the buyback. This contact involved a representative from the Small Business Commission visiting his dealership. According to Mr Mearns, this representative was unfamiliar with the basics of firearms in Australia, the categories of firearms, the volume of trade, or how a buyback might affect dealers. Mel Madden, an employee at Calibre Country, also stated that the dealership had received numerous customer inquiries about bringing firearms in for the buyback, but they did not know how to advise them as they had not been officially informed. ## What the coverage left out None of the reports published mention the cost estimate for the NSW gun buyback program. No right-rated outlet ran this story. ## Who covered it Shares of the 7 covering outlets with a published leaning rating: - Left: 71% (5) - Centre: 29% (2) - Right: 0% (0) 0 of 7 covering outlets carried no usable leaning rating and were excluded from those percentages. Coverage measured 2026-10-19T07:15:14.617269+00:00. **Coverage watch:** developing. Checked 6 times; 0 checks found a material change. Most recently checked 2026-10-19T07:45:13.759Z. ## How the sides framed it ### Left - Left-rated reports led with the lack of government guidance for firearms dealers regarding the upcoming NSW gun buyback. These reports highlighted that dealers are "in the dark" two weeks before the program starts on November 2. The coverage noted that new laws have already impacted businesses and led to a reduction in amnesty hand-ins. Full reports from northerndailyleader.com.au and tenterfieldstar.com.au included detailed accounts from Craig Mearns of Calibre Country, who described a visit from a Small Business Commission representative who lacked understanding of firearms dealing. These reports also quoted Mel Madden and Sophie Hughes from Calibre Country on customer inquiries and the drop in amnesty hand-ins. Digests from inverelltimes.com.au, gleninnesexaminer.com.au, moreechampion.com.au, and armidaleexpress.com.au also focused on dealers being uninformed about the buyback and the impact of new laws on amnesty hand-ins. ### Centre - Centre-rated reports focused on firearms dealers being uninformed about the NSW gun buyback, scheduled to commence on November 2, 2026. The coverage indicated that dealers had received no official guidance from the state government. Digests from nvi.com.au, like those on the left, stated that dealers were unaware of the buyback's specifics and that new laws were affecting amnesty hand-ins. The full reports from tenterfieldstar.com.au and northerndailyleader.com.au, which are also rated centre, provided the same details as their left-rated counterparts, including statements from Craig Mearns about the lack of government contact and the visit from the Small Business Commission representative. ### Right No separate framing summary. **Provisional coverage gap:** right. The watch is not closed, so this is not yet a settled blindspot finding. ## Factuality profile of the covering outlets These are published factuality ratings of the outlets, not a verdict on whether this story or its claims are true. - high: 5 - veryHigh: 2 ## Verification scope This page compares coverage and scores the source reporting. It is not a ClaimReview verdict on whether the underlying event or claim is true. ## Original reporting this was written from - [northerndailyleader.com.au](https://northerndailyleader.com.au/story/9371315/nsw-gun-buyback-dealers-left-in-dark-before-november-2) — Gun dealers still in the dark about firearms buyback starting in two weeks - [inverelltimes.com.au](https://inverelltimes.com.au/story/9371315/nsw-gun-buyback-dealers-left-in-dark-before-november-2) — Gun dealers still in the dark about firearms buyback starting in two weeks - [gleninnesexaminer.com.au](https://gleninnesexaminer.com.au/story/9371315/nsw-gun-buyback-dealers-left-in-dark-before-november-2) — Gun dealers still in the dark about firearms buyback starting in two weeks - [moreechampion.com.au](https://moreechampion.com.au/story/9371315/nsw-gun-buyback-dealers-left-in-dark-before-november-2) — Gun dealers still in the dark about firearms buyback starting in two weeks - [armidaleexpress.com.au](https://armidaleexpress.com.au/story/9371315/nsw-gun-buyback-dealers-left-in-dark-before-november-2) — Gun dealers still in the dark about firearms buyback starting in two weeks - [tenterfieldstar.com.au](https://tenterfieldstar.com.au/story/9371315/nsw-gun-buyback-dealers-left-in-dark-before-november-2) — Gun dealers still in the dark about firearms buyback starting in two weeks - [nvi.com.au](https://nvi.com.au/story/9371315/nsw-gun-buyback-dealers-left-in-dark-before-november-2) — Gun dealers still in the dark about firearms buyback starting in two weeks ## Questions **When does the NSW gun buyback start?** The first round of the New South Wales gun buyback program is scheduled to begin on November 2, 2026. Firearms dealers have indicated they are preparing for this date but are currently lacking official guidance from the state government on the program's operational details. **What information have firearms dealers received about the buyback?** Firearms dealers in NSW report receiving no official guidance from the state government regarding the upcoming gun buyback program. Craig Mearns of Calibre Country stated he had only one official contact from the government, which was with the Small Business Commission and unrelated to managing the buyback. **How have new firearms laws affected gun hand-ins?** According to firearms dealers, new firearms laws have led to a significant decrease in amnesty hand-ins. Sophie Hughes, who handles amnesty hand-ins for Calibre Country, confirmed that these hand-ins "had just stopped overnight" with the introduction of the new laws, a sentiment echoed by Craig Mearns. --- MediaBias News — https://mediabias.news. 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