Inquest into the deaths of Noah Smith and Wayne Smith

Case Number: 2023/176593; 2023/176635

Date of Findings: 30 March 2026

Magistrate: State Coroner, Judge Teresa O'Sullivan

Catchwords: CORONIAL LAW – filicide – intentional self-harm – domestic and family violence – use of licensed firearm – history of anxiety and depression – NSW Firearms Registry – revocation of firearms licence on grounds of mental health concerns and seizure of firearms – subsequent reinstatement of firearms licence and return of firearms

Responses

Recommendations

To the Minister for Police and Counter-terrorism and the Commissioner of Police,:

1. Consideration be given to statutory reform enabling amendment of processes within the Firearms Registry so as to require applicants seeking the re-issue of a firearms licence on the basis of recreational hunting/vermin control to demonstrate current permission from a landowner at time of renewal.
2. The Firearms Registry additionally consider steps to improve the rigour of the information required in support of an application or re-application for a firearms licence in reliance upon recreational hunting/vermin control as the genuine reason for the issue of the licence.
3. Following the post implementation review into the new Health Risk Assessment Framework, consultation occur with the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, and other relevant health bodies, to discuss how GPs can be encouraged to routinely ask patients if they have a firearms licence (just as they might ask whether patients have a driver’s licence).
4. Following the post implementation review into the new Health Risk Assessment Framework, consultation occur with the NSW Ministry of Health, the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, and other relevant health bodies, to discuss the possibility of introducing a statutory obligation requiring health practitioners to report to Police if they have safety concerns for a patient who is a firearms licence holder.
5. Following the post implementation review into the new Health Risk Assessment Framework, consideration be given to requiring any applicant for the issue/re-issue of a firearms licence who has experienced suicidal ideation in the previous five years, provide a Mental Health Risk Assessment from two separate assessors (preferably their current treating GP and separately a psychiatrist or psychologist).
6. Following the post implementation review into the new Health Risk Assessment Framework, consideration be given to statutory reform that enables the reassessment of licence holders as an alternative to relying upon the imposition of special conditions to firearms licences.
7. Consideration be given to statutory reform enabling the introduction of criteria to demonstrate a ‘good reason’ to acquire additional firearms.