A recent analysis by the Australia Institute, utilizing police data from across the nation, has uncovered a troubling trend: over 9,000 firearms have been reported stolen in Australia since 2020, contributing to a staggering total of more than 44,000 thefts since the year 2000.

According to the institute, the number of guns in Australia has now exceeded four million, surpassing the figures recorded prior to the Port Arthur massacre. This tragic event had spurred the Howard government’s comprehensive overhaul of the country’s firearm laws.

Rod Campbell, the research director at the Australia Institute, expressed concern over the increasing number of firearms slipping into the criminal underworld. “Thousands of guns are flowing into the hands of criminals every year, putting Australians in danger,” Campbell stated. He emphasized that the primary source of illegal firearms in Australia is the theft of legally owned guns, rather than 3D printing or illicit imports. “It’s pretty simple – the more legal guns there are in Australia, the more illegal guns there will be,” he added.

While the theft of legal firearms remains the predominant source of illegal guns, the institute also highlighted the growing presence of 3D-printed firearms. These are not only becoming a factor in organized crime and the sovereign citizen movement but are also being discovered in the possession of licensed firearm owners and technology enthusiasts.

However, they said, while they were becoming a more significant element of organised crime and the sovereign citizen movement, 3D-printed guns were also being found in the homes of licensed firearm users and tech enthusiasts.

Campbell said state and federal governments had been “complacent” on the issue.

“This research shows that gun control and keeping the community safe requires ongoing efforts from all levels of government,” he said.

“Australians might be shocked to discover that the Howard-era National Firearms Agreement has still not been completed.”

He suggested an immediate step state governments could take, one with Australian precedent.

“If we don’t want to go down the path of America, all states and territories can follow Western Australia’s lead of capping the number of guns any one person can own,” Campbell said.

“There’s a clear path forward for governments to act.”