Father found dead alongside son in NSW had gun licence renewed months before

A father who was found dead from gunshot wounds alongside his son in northern New South Wales last week had his firearms licence reinstated just months before, the state Police Minister has confirmed.

The bodies of Wayne Smith, 58, and his son Noah, 15, were found in a Yamba home last Thursday.

Police said no third person was involved in their deaths, and that they considered the incident a murder-suicide.

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Superintendent Shane Cribb said last week Smith was licensed to have the firearm that was found at the scene.

Today, NSW Police Minister Yasmin Catley confirmed to 2GB's Ben Fordham the man's firearms licence had been suspended in August 2021, and three guns were seized from the property.

Fordham reported that the man had admitted to mental health struggles while seeking to renew his firearms licence, prompting the suspension.

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However, Smith later sought to have his licence renewed, and underwent a risk assessment process, including an independent medical assessment, in December 2022.

His licence was then reinstated.

"It's difficult to speculate on what affected his mental health between December and now, but clearly something happened," Catley said.

She said if the coronial inquest into the deaths could identify improvements the system needed, they would be implemented.

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"It's clear there is room for improvement," she said.

"Mental health is very complex and we need to be guided by the experts, and the medical experts."

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