Australia had long been viewed as a world leader in firearm regulation – Bondi has exposed a much murkier situation.

On a weekend day in the year 1996, a lone gunman armed with semi-automatic rifles murdered 35 people in the Australian tourist town of Port Arthur.

That national tragedy nearly three decades ago, which ushered in some of the toughest weapons policies in the world, can seem like a bygone age for many citizens.

However, the tragedy in Bondi this past Sunday, which resulted in 15 fatalities, has brought back painful recollections of the Tasmanian tragedy.

Weapons Holdings at a Record High

A study released earlier this year revealed that there are now more than four million weapons owned by civilians across the country – a figure that is nearly twice the amount from about 20 years ago.

This equates to approximately one gun for every seven Australians.

While the state of Queensland has the highest number of legal firearms, followed by NSW and Victoria, it is the island state and the Northern Territory that have the most guns per person.

The data also challenges the popular notion that guns are primarily held by those in the countryside.

Firearms are prevalent in urban centres, with a significant portion located in major cities.

Critically, there are now more guns in fewer hands, with the registered individual possessing several firearms.

Examining Australia's Present Firearm Regulations?

Gun control laws in Australia are inconsistent across the country, with a disparate implementation of rules between different jurisdictions.

Broadly speaking, to secure a gun licence, an individual must be over 18, deemed a "responsible individual", pass a safety program, and provide a "valid purpose" for ownership.

The permitted justifications include sport shooting or animal management, marksmanship, certain job-related needs, and for collections.

However, significant shortcomings remain. For instance, young people in some jurisdictions can have use of a firearm from as young as 10 or 12 years old.

Following the Port Arthur massacre, a sweeping overhaul of national gun laws was enacted, leading to a massive buyback of over 650,000 firearms.

Rapid-fire weapons were banned, and background checks alongside mandatory cooling-off periods for sales were introduced.

A key tenet of these reforms was the elimination of "home security" as a acceptable grounds for gun ownership.

New Push for Gun Law Reform

In the hours following the Bondi shooting, political leaders were forceful about the need to tighten gun laws.

A weapons collection initiative was unveiled, marking the largest such effort since 1996.

Other proposals now under consideration include:

• Capping the number of guns an individual can legally own.
• Reforming "open-ended" licensing arrangements.
• Making formal citizenship a condition for firearm ownership.
• Improving intelligence sharing during background check processes.

There are also calls for periodic reassessments of existing licence holders, acknowledging that "individuals can be radicalised" over time.

A Nuanced Discussion

These proposed changes have drawn criticism from some quarters.

Pro-gun advocates contend that limiting gun numbers would not have prevented an attack driven by extremist ideology.

They suggest that political capital would be better spent combating radicalisation rather than tightening regulations for the overwhelming number of law-abiding citizens.

Furthermore, a key proposed reform from 1996 – a country-wide gun database – remains incomplete, though it has now been listed as a urgent task.

A Painful Reminder

For reformers, the Bondi attack is a tragic indication that regulations must evolve with new threats.

They argue that modernisation is needed to "remain effective" and prevent future tragedies.

While mass shootings remain infrequent in Australia compared to some nations, the potential persists, and the challenge of weapons being misused – through black markets – continues to pose a problem.

As one advocate reflected, "It's sad that it takes such a tragedy to prompt action and pay heed."