Federal government claims some states standing in the way of ‘getting those guns off our streets’

A national cabinet meeting in January. The New South Wales government is so far the only clear supporter of the gun law reforms. Photograph: Bianca de Marchi/AAP

The federal government has accused state and territory leaders who refuse to sign up to its proposed national gun buyback scheme of “standing in the way” of efforts to get dangerous weapons off Australian streets.

Anthony Albanese’s end of March deadline to establish the biggest gun buyback in 30 years has now passed, with half of the nation’s governments refusing to join. There is no timeline for the buyback, announced in the weeks after the Bondi terror attack, and it remains unclear how costs will be split.