(VIC) Prohibit Firearm Licences for Children Under 18 Years Old

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Author: Ruby Anderson | Publish date: 17/1/2026

• P: In VIC, children over the age of 12 and under the age of 18 can obtain firearms licences. 

• S: The VIC Minister for Justice should repeal Part 2 Division 5 of the Firearms Act 1996 (VIC) to prohibit junior licences for firearms. 

  
  

Problem Identification: 

Part 2 Division 5 of the Firearms Act 1996 (VIC) states that, under a junior firearms licence, a child aged 12-18 years old can possess and use longarms, shotguns, and handguns for target shooting. However, according to the Australia Institute, minors cannot ‘own or store firearms’ under their junior licence. 

According to the Alannah and Madeline Foundation (AMF), this means that ‘children as young as 12 [can] legally use firearms.’ This is known to lead to increased risks of firearm-related harm among young people and the community, and the creation of a ‘new generation of firearm enthusiasts.’ Further, the Australian Gun Safety Alliance (AGSA) has said that this ‘circumvent[s]’ VIC’s National Firearm Agreement (NFA) commitments, while the AMF has argued this does not qualify as a ‘legitimate reason’ for using a firearm.

Context: 

Legal Aid Victoria reported that a junior may only obtain a firearms licence if they have written parental consent, are a member of an approved shooting club, and have completed a firearms safety course, which typically takes 2-3 hours. According to VIC police, a junior licence holder must only use firearms ‘under the immediate supervision of an adult with a current [same category] firearm licence’ and recommend that supervising adults stay within ‘one metre of the junior’. 

VIC Police’s most recent data from 2017 stated that junior firearms licences are the third-largest licence category, with approximately 7,000 unique people between 12 and 18 holding firearms licences.

Arguments:

The AMF argued that firearm reforms are a ‘proactive measure to enhance child safety’ and ‘reduce the risk of gun-related harm to children and the community.’ As reported in a study published by the American Public Health Association, there is a ‘robust correlation between higher levels of gun ownership and higher firearm homicide rates’ in the community. The American Academy of Pediatrics further argued that ‘barriers to firearm access can decrease the risk to youth for firearm suicide, homicide, unintentional shooting injury, and death.’ 

The Australia Institute highlighted the inconsistencies between firearm laws and other age restrictions on the basis of harm reduction. For example, they said that ‘a child as young as 12 may… use a firearm but would have to wait another four years to legally operate [a] paintball gun.’ It is known that several behaviours already have age restrictions, including drinking, smoking, and social media, for risk-reduction and public safety reasons. 

The AGSA argued that ‘all jurisdictions circumvent the NFA by allowing junior permits’ and the use of firearms under supervision. According to the Australia Institute, all states promised to ban ‘licences for those under 18’ in the NFA, a commitment which was reaffirmed by all states in 2017. To reduce the rate of gun violence and injury in the community, the Public Health Association Australia argued that Australia must ‘address the flow of firearms into the community’ by ‘compl[ying] with the NFA’ (2017) requirements.

The AGSA has argued that there is ‘overwhelming evidence that Australians want stronger gun laws.’ According to the Australia Institute, in early 2025, 64% of Australians believed that gun laws ‘should be strengthened.’ As reported by the ABC, the National Cabinet has ‘unanimously agreed’ to strengthen gun laws after the Bondi terror attack. 

The VIC Police stated that there are 2 reasons for junior firearm licences: to ‘receiv[e] instruction in the use of… firearms’ or to participate in ‘sport or target shooting’. However, the AMF argued that there is ‘absolutely no legitimate reason to introduce children to using firearms.’ Terry Slevin, the CEO of the Public Health Association of Australia, stated that ‘“guns for fun” is not [an] acceptable’ reason for any firearms licence. The AMF further argued that ‘there is no public benefit in [junior licences]’.

Advice/Solution Identification:

The AMF, the AGSA, and Gun Control Australia have called for states to ‘explicitly prohibit the use of firearms by children.’ The AMF argued that prohibiting junior firearm licences could ‘enhance child safety’ and limit ‘gun-related harm to children and the community.’ The AGSA also reported that this change could help ensure that VIC does not ‘circumvent their NFA’ commitments.

Precedent:

There is international precedent for prohibiting junior firearm licences. In South Korea, people under 20 may not possess a firearm licence, unless they are elite athletes participating in sports shooting. In Croatia, it is unlawful for people under 18 to use firearms, except in limited circumstances. In Japan, people under 20 may not apply for a rifle or shotgun licence. 

Further, there is domestic precedent for imposing age restrictions on behaviours deemed inappropriate for minors. Federally, there are age restrictions on drinking, driving, gambling, smoking, sexual consent, etc.

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Public Support: 

1. Alannah and Madeleine Foundation

2. Australian Gun Safety Alliance

3. Gun Control Australia

Broad Support: 

1. Injury Matters (calls for the prohibition of people under 18 from accessing or owning a firearm in WA)   

News Coverage:

• BBC News - “Australia was seen as a world leader in gun control - Bondi has exposed a more complicated reality.” Following the Bondi terror attack, international attention has turned to Australia’s gun laws, with experts exposing the weaknesses in the country’s current gun laws and ongoing failures to fulfil NFA commitments. By: Lana Lam | Sat 20 December 2025 - Read the article here. 

• ABC News - “National cabinet agrees unanimously to strengthen Australia's strict gun laws in wake of Bondi terror attack.” Following the Bondi terror attack, the Federal Government and states have committed to reviewing Australia’s gun laws and have reaffirmed their commitments to fulfilling all NFA requirements. By: Maani Truu and Clare Armstrong | Mon 15 December 2025 - Read the article here. 

• The Guardian - “Australia had the ‘gold standard’ on gun control. The Bondi beach terror attack may force it to confront its surging number of weapons.” Following the Bondi terror attack, experts have called for reform to Australia’s gun laws to limit the current flow of 2,000 lawful weapons entering the community every week. By: Sarah Martin | Mon 15 December 2025 - Read the article here. 

• ABC News - “National Firearms Non-Agreement: Should kids have ‘permits’, ‘licences’ or no guns at all?” State governments were unprepared to abide by their NFA commitment to prohibit junior firearm licences, despite criticisms from academics and experts. By: Jackson Gothe-Snape | Thurs 12 October 2017 - Read the article here. 

• ABC News - “At what age is a child permitted to fire a gun?” This article provided an anecdote of a boy who began using firearms in rural VIC at age 12 and reported that gun lobbyists have advocated for lower age restrictions. By: Romensky Larissa | Thurs 4 May 2017 - Read the article here.

Where to go to learn more: 

1. (2025) Australia led gun reforms after Port Arthur - Bondi attack demands we do it again - Following the Bondi terror attack, the Alannah and Madeleine Foundation published this press release which detailed the 10 reforms identified by firearm safety experts to reduce firearm-related harm, including prohibiting the use of firearms for people under 18 years old. Read the press release here. 

2. (2025) Junior firearm licences - This webpage, made available by the Victoria Police, provided a comprehensible description of what a junior firearm licence is and the conditions required to obtain and use the junior licences. Read the webpage here. 

3. (2025) Gun control in Australia - This report by the Australia Institute, commissioned by the Australian Gun Safety Alliance and Gun Control Australia, provided an in-depth breakdown of firearms data and laws by state jurisdiction. Read the report here.

4. (2025) Australian gun control: 29 years after Port Arthur - This report by the Australia Institute explained how each state is not meeting their NFA requirements, before comparing Australia’s firearm statistics to other OECD countries. Read the report here. 

5. (2024) Gun control in context: Learning from the Australian gun control experience - This book explored all angles of the gun control debate worldwide, focusing on the Australian example as a precedent for US policy-makers. Read the book here.

6. Firearms Act 1996 (VIC) - Read the full Act here.

Human Perspective: 

TW: Gun use

Cody, 12, lives with his dad, Jim, who is an active member of the local shooting club and regularly participates in recreational hunting. Cody, impressed by his dad’s hobby and having watched several TV shows featuring men with guns, decided he wanted to use firearms because he thinks it looks fun. Having completed his firearm safety training course, which took 2.5 hours, Cody is granted his junior firearm licence (category A and B weapons) and game licence. Under these licences, Cody can use his dad’s rifles and shotguns on the shooting range, in target practice, and while hunting. To celebrate, Cody and Jim have planned a weekend hunting trip in the Otway Forest Park, for which Cody is extremely excited. Typically, Jim vigilantly supervises when Cody is shooting, as the law requires him to do. However, during their hunting trip, while Jim is quickly checking his emails on his phone, Cody picks up the loaded rifle and accidentally pulls the trigger while pretending to shoot. Jim reprimands Cody, as he could have hit anyone in the park. Jim feels sick for taking his eyes off Cody, while Cody does not seem to understand the gravity of the situation. Despite his telling off, Cody remains enamoured by firearms, convinced they are so much fun, and continues to use firearms regularly until he applies for an adult licence at 18.

To protect the anonymity of those involved, this is a fictionalised account drawn from an amalgamation of real-life stories, experiences and testimonials gathered during the research process for this brief. Any resemblance to actual individuals is purely coincidental.

Conflict of interest/acknowledgment statement: 

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Support 

If your organisation would like to add your support to this paper or suggest amendments, please email Info@foreaustralia.com. 

Reference list: 

Act on the Safety Management of Guns, Swords, Explosives Etc. 2019 (Republic of Korea). https://233773342789-lic.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/

Alannah and Madeline Foundation. (2026, January 13). Strengthen our laws to reduce gun violence. https://www.alannahandmadeline.org.au/

Alannah and Madeline Foundation. (2025, December 16). Australia led gun reforms after Port Arthur - Bondi attacks demand we do it again. https://www.alannahandmadeline.org.au/

Alannah and Madeline Foundation. (2024, February 28). Understanding firearm regulations across Australia’s states and territories in the wake of WA’s proposed reforms. https://www.alannahandmadeline.org.au/

Australia Gun Safety Alliance. (2025). Gun safety advocates support a ten-point plan for firearm reform. https://www.gunsafetyalliance.org.au/

Australian Gun Safety Alliance. (2025). Support firearm safety. https://www.gunsafetyalliance.org.au/

Australia Institute. (2025). Polling - Gun Control. https://australiainstitute.org.au/

Browne, B. (2019). Hunters and collectors: Gun use and ownership in Australia. Australia Institute. https://australiainstitute.org.au/

Chollet, O., Gottschalk, A., Clarke, V., & Grundy, A. (2025). Gun Control in Australia: An update on firearms data and policies. Australia Institute. https://australiainstitute.org.au/

Fay, S. (2024). Gun control in context: Learning from the Australian experience. Routledge. https://www.taylorfrancis.com/

Firearms Act 1996 (VIC). https://www.austlii.edu.au/

Firearms and Swords Control Act 1958 (Japan). https://www8.cao.go.jp/

Injury Matters. (2023). Firearm-related injuries in Western Australia: Position paper. https://www.injurymatters.org.au/

Lee, L. K., Fleegler, E. W., Goyal, M. K., Doh, K. F., Laraque-Arena, M., Hoffman, B. D. (2022). Firearm-related injuries and deaths in children and youth. American Academy of Pediatrics, 150(6), 1-22. https://publications.aap.org/

Legal Aid Victoria. (2025, December 4). Guns and other weapons. https://www.legalaid.vic.gov.au/

National Firearms Agreement 2017 (Cth). https://www.homeaffairs.gov.au/

Predevac, S., Grundy, A., & Campbell, R. (2025). Australian gun control: 29 years after Port Arthur. Australia Institute. https://australiainstitute.org.au/

Public Health Association Australia. (2023). Firearm injury prevention: Policy position statement. https://www.phaa.net.au/

Quinn, T. (2025, December 17). Media release - gun safety advocates support a ten-point plan for firearm reform. Gun Control Australia. https://www.guncontrolaustralia.org/

Raising Children Australia. (2025, December 10). Legal age: Teenagers and the law. https://raisingchildren.net.au/

Siegel, M., Ross, C. S., & King III, C. (2013). The relationship between gun ownership and firearm homicide rates in the United States, 1981-2010. American Journal of Public Health, 103(1), 2098-2105. https://ajph.aphapublications.org/

Victoria State Government. (2017, December 11). Firearms regulations 2018: Regulatory impact statement. https://www.vic.gov.au/

Victoria Police. (2025, July 11). Junior firearm licences. https://www.police.vic.gov.au/. 

Weapons Act 2009 (Croatia). https://pak.hr/cke/