Criminal Code Amendment (Firearms Trafficking) 2022

✦ Plain-English Summary

# Criminal Code Amendment (Firearms Trafficking) 2022

## What it does
This law creates new federal crimes specifically targeting people who illegally buy and sell firearms across state borders as part of a business operation. It sets out two offences: a basic one for any illegal firearm trading, and a tougher one for people caught moving large quantities (50+ guns or parts) within a 6-month period.

## Why it matters
Firearms trafficking — essentially running an illegal gun-dealing operation — has real consequences for public safety. By creating dedicated laws with serious penalties, the government is signalling this is treated differently from random breaches of gun regulations, and it gives police and prosecutors better tools to go after organised gun smuggling.

## Key details
- **Basic offence**: Up to 20 years in prison or a fine of 5,000 penalty units (currently around $1.05 million)
- **Aggravated offence** (50+ firearms/parts in 6 months): Carries harsher penalties (the bill excerpt cuts off here, but these are typically much longer sentences)
- **Commencement**: The law came into effect the day after receiving Royal Assent (which happened in 2022), so it's already active

Official Description

Amends the Criminal Code Act 1995 to provide for increased minimum and maximum penalties and new aggravated offences for the offences of trafficking prohibited firearms or firearm parts within Australia, and into and out of Australia.

Committee Referrals

Senate Standing Committee for the Scrutiny of Bills; Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights

Full bill PDF →APH page →

Audit History

Introduced

16 Feb 2022

Last updated on APH

10 Apr 2026

Outcome date

1 Apr 2022

Last checked by Crossbench

yesterday

Full text indexed

yesterday

🗳️

No formal division recorded

This bill passed by voice vote — parliament agreed without calling a formal count. A division is only recorded when a member explicitly requests one.

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