Australia was long seen as a international standard-bearer in firearm regulation – the Bondi attack has revealed a far more complex reality.

On a Sunday afternoon in the year 1996, a solitary shooter wielding rapid-fire weapons murdered 35 people in the Australian tourist town of Port Arthur.

That national tragedy nearly thirty years ago, which led to some of the most stringent weapons policies in the world, can feel like a different era for many Australians.

However, the tragedy in Bondi this past Sunday, which resulted in 15 fatalities, has rekindled memories of the 1996 shootings.

Gun Ownership at a Record High

A recent report revealed that there are now in excess of 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 a weapon for each small group of people.

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 contradicts the popular notion that guns are primarily held by rural residents.

Guns are common in metropolitan and suburban areas, with a large share located in population centres.

Critically, there are now weapons owned by a smaller group, with the registered individual possessing several firearms.

Understanding Australia's Present Firearm Regulations?

Firearm regulations in Australia are not uniform across the country, with a mixed implementation of rules across states and territories.

Generally, to secure a gun licence, an individual must be of legal age, deemed a "suitable candidate", pass a competency test, and provide a "genuine reason" for ownership.

The accepted reasons include sport shooting or animal management, competitive shooting, certain job-related needs, and collecting.

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

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

Rapid-fire weapons were prohibited, and security screenings alongside delays for sales were introduced.

A key tenet of these reforms was the rejection of "home security" as a valid reason for gun ownership.

Renewed Demands for Firearm Policy Changes

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

A country-wide firearm surrender program was announced, marking the most significant such effort since 1996.

Other proposals now under consideration include:

• Restricting the number of guns an individual can legally own.
• Ending "open-ended" licensing arrangements.
• Making formal citizenship a prerequisite for firearm ownership.
• Enhancing intelligence sharing during licence application processes.

There are also calls for periodic reassessments of existing licence holders, acknowledging that "people's circumstances can change" over time.

A Nuanced Discussion

These proposed changes have sparked debate from some quarters.

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

They suggest that focus would be better spent addressing root causes rather than changing laws for the vast majority of licensed individuals.

Furthermore, a long-promised reform from 1996 – a national firearms register – remains not yet operational, though it has now been listed as a priority.

Tragedy as a Wake-Up Call

For long-time advocates, the Bondi attack is a horrific reminder that regulations must keep pace with new threats.

They argue that modernisation is needed to "address deficiencies" and safeguard communities.

While mass shootings remain infrequent in Australia compared to some nations, the risk persists, and the challenge of guns in the wrong hands – through black markets – continues to pose a challenge.

As one advocate reflected, "It is regrettable that it takes such a devastating event to get people to wake up and pay heed."