Australia was widely regarded as a international standard-bearer in gun control – the Bondi tragedy has revealed a more complicated truth.
On a Sunday afternoon in the year 1996, a solitary shooter using rapid-fire weapons murdered 35 people in the historic site of Port Arthur.
That national tragedy nearly a generation ago, which sparked some of the toughest gun laws in the world, can feel like a different era for many residents.
However, the tragedy in Bondi this past Sunday, which resulted in 15 fatalities, has revived the ghosts of the Port Arthur massacre.
Gun Ownership at a Historic Peak
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 the late 1990s.
This translates to approximately a weapon for each small group of people.
While the state of Queensland has the highest number of legal firearms, followed by New South Wales (NSW) and Victoria, it is Tasmania and the NT that have the greatest density of weapons.
The data also challenges the common view that guns are mostly possessed by rural residents.
Firearms are widespread in cities and their outskirts, with a significant portion located in urban hubs.
Critically, there are now more guns in fewer hands, with the typical gun owner possessing several firearms.
What Are Australia's Present Firearm Regulations?
Firearm regulations in Australia are inconsistent across the country, with a mixed implementation of rules in various regions.
Broadly speaking, to obtain a gun licence, an individual must be over 18, deemed a "fit and proper person", pass a safety program, and provide a "legitimate need" for ownership.
The permitted justifications include recreational hunting or pest control, competitive shooting, certain job-related needs, and as a hobby.
However, significant gaps remain. For instance, individuals under 18 in some jurisdictions can have supervision of a firearm from as young as pre-teen age.
Following the Port Arthur massacre, a major rewrite of national gun laws was enacted, leading to a voluntary hand-in of over 650,000 firearms.
Certain types of firearms were banned, and security screenings alongside mandatory cooling-off periods for sales were introduced.
A key tenet of these reforms was the elimination of "self-defence" as a justifiable cause for gun ownership.
New Push for Gun Law Reform
In the hours following the Bondi shooting, political leaders were unequivocal about the need to tighten gun laws.
A national gun buyback scheme was announced, marking the largest such effort since 1996.
Other proposals now under consideration include:
- Limiting the number of guns an individual can have registered.
- Addressing "perpetual" licensing arrangements.
- Making permanent residency a prerequisite for firearm ownership.
- Enhancing intelligence sharing during background check processes.
There are also calls for regular reviews of existing licence holders, acknowledging that "people's circumstances can change" over time.
A Nuanced Discussion
These reform efforts have drawn criticism from some quarters.
Pro-gun advocates contend that imposing caps would not have averted an attack driven by radicalisation.
They suggest that political capital would be better spent addressing root causes rather than changing laws for the great bulk of responsible owners.
Furthermore, a key proposed reform from 1996 – a national firearms register – remains not yet operational, though it has now been listed as a priority.
A Painful Reminder
For reformers, the Bondi attack is a tragic indication that regulations must evolve with technological advances.
They argue that reform is needed to "keep up-to-date" and protect public safety.
While mass shootings remain relatively rare in Australia compared to some nations, the risk persists, and the legacy of firearms circulating illegally – through poor storage – continues to pose a problem.
As one advocate stated, "It is unfortunate that it needs such a tragedy to get people to wake up and listen."
