Australia was widely regarded as a global exemplar in firearm regulation – the Bondi attack has laid bare a much murkier situation.

On a Sunday afternoon in 1996, a single attacker using semi-automatic rifles took the lives of 35 people in the Australian tourist town of Port Arthur.

That horrific event nearly a generation ago, which ushered in some of the most stringent gun laws in the world, can feel like a bygone age for many residents.

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

Weapons Holdings at a Unprecedented Level

A analysis revealed that there are now more than four million guns in private hands across the country – a figure that is roughly two times the amount from about 20 years ago.

This translates to approximately one gun for every seven Australians.

While Queensland has the largest arsenal, followed by New South Wales (NSW) and the state of Victoria, it is the island state and the Northern Territory that have the highest rate of firearm ownership.

The data also challenges the widespread belief that guns are mainly owned by people in regional areas.

Guns are prevalent in urban centres, with a large share located in major cities.

Critically, there are now weapons owned by a smaller group, with the average licence holder possessing more than four firearms.

Examining Australia's Present Firearm Regulations?

Gun control laws in Australia are inconsistent across the country, with a patchwork implementation of rules in various regions.

Generally, to obtain a gun licence, an individual must be an adult, deemed a "suitable candidate", pass a training and safety course, and provide a "genuine reason" for ownership.

The permitted justifications include hunting or culling, competitive shooting, certain occupational requirements, and collecting.

However, significant gaps remain. For instance, young people in some states can have supervision of a firearm from as young as early adolescence.

Following the Port Arthur massacre, a major rewrite of national gun laws was enacted, leading to a large-scale surrender scheme of over 650,000 firearms.

Automatic and semi-automatic rifles were outlawed, and vetting procedures alongside mandatory cooling-off periods for sales were introduced.

A key tenet of these reforms was the rejection of "personal protection" as a justifiable cause for gun ownership.

Renewed Demands for Firearm Policy Changes

In the immediate aftermath the Bondi shooting, political leaders were unequivocal about the need to bolster gun laws.

A national gun buyback scheme was announced, marking the largest such effort since 1996.

Other planned reforms now under consideration include:

• Capping the number of guns an individual can possess.
• Ending "perpetual" licensing arrangements.
• Making formal citizenship a prerequisite for firearm ownership.
• Improving intelligence sharing during background check processes.

There are also calls for periodic reassessments of existing licence holders, acknowledging that "situations evolve" over time.

A Nuanced Discussion

These reform efforts have sparked debate from some quarters.

Pro-gun advocates maintain that restricting ownership would not have prevented an attack driven by violent beliefs.

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

Furthermore, a key proposed reform from 1996 – a national firearms register – remains incomplete, though it has now been listed as a urgent task.

A Catalyst for Change

For campaigners, the Bondi attack is a tragic indication that gun laws must keep pace with changing times.

They argue that modernisation is needed to "keep up-to-date" and prevent future tragedies.

While mass shootings remain relatively rare in Australia compared to some nations, the risk persists, and the legacy of guns in the wrong hands – through poor storage – continues to pose a problem.

As one advocate noted, "It's sad that it needs such a devastating event to get people to wake up and listen."