The Queensland government has unveiled plans for new gun control laws, though critics argue the changes would leave the state with the weakest protections in Australia. Under the proposal, new firearms licenses would be limited to Australian citizens, with a few specific exceptions. However, the government stopped short of launching a national gun buyback program or setting a limit on how many weapons one person can own.

The legislation creates several new criminal offenses and raises penalties for gun-related crimes. It also closes a loophole that previously hindered police investigations. At the same time, the government introduced a hate speech bill that bans specific slogans. Civil liberties groups and the Greens have pushed back against that measure, calling it a threat to free speech.