Australia's gun laws are among the world's toughest.
But in an effort to withdraw the more than 260,000 illegal guns in homes, the Federal Government is offering an amnesty period.
Justice Minister Michael Keenan says the decision is, in part, because of a deteriorating national security environment.
"For three months until the 30th of September anyone with an unwanted or unregistered firearm, or a firearm related item such as amunition can legally dispose of or register their firearm at approved drop off points in each state and territory. Sadly we've seen through recent events in Australia that even one firearm in the wrong hands can be deadly. There is not cost in handing in your firearm or related item for destruction and you do not need to provide any personal details."
Mr Keenan maintains Australia's gun laws are some of the most effective in the world, but he says serious concerns remain about the number of illegal weapons in circulation.
"It's probably not going to be the case that we will have hardened criminals, for example, who've made a big effort to get their hold on illegal guns, would necessarily be handing them in but the purpose of this amnesty is to reduce the number of unregistered and illicit firearms in the community. So by way of example it could be a family heirloom maybe somebody in the family has died you've inherited this gun it sits out there in the garage and you're not sure what to do with it."
In 1996, 35 people were murdered and 23 were wounded by a gunman at the Port Arthur historic site in southern Tasmania.
It prompted then-prime minister John Howard to forge tough gun ownership laws and offer a national amnesty and gun buyback scheme.
Today, anyone caught with an unregistered firearm is at risk of a $280,000 fine, up to 14 years in jail as well as a criminal record.
"Individual states have run amnesties and we've found that they have been quite successful and when individual states have run amnesties thousands of guns have been presented and we have an expectation that this national amnesty will present similar sorts of figures."
Labor frontbencher Anthony Albanese has told Channel Nine he hopes people hand in their unregistered weapons.
"One illegal firearm is one too many. The fact that there are so many out there is an issue of concern. It's a good thing that this amnesty is happening and it certainly has bipartisan support."
The Federal Government wants to introduce mandatory minimum sentences of five years for anybody caught trafficking illegal firearms.
While the gun trafficking legislation has been introduced, it still faces opposition in the Senate.
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