The nation of Australia was long seen as a world leader in firearm regulation – the Bondi tragedy has exposed a more complicated reality.

On a spring day in 1996, a lone gunman using powerful firearms murdered 35 people in the historic site of Port Arthur.

That massacre nearly a generation ago, which led to some of the most stringent gun laws in the world, can appear as a bygone age for many citizens.

However, the Bondi Beach attack this past Sunday, which claimed 15 lives, has rekindled memories of the Tasmanian tragedy.

Weapons Holdings at a Historic Peak

A recent report revealed that there are now over four million guns in private hands across the country – a figure that is nearly twice the amount from the late 1990s.

This translates to approximately one firearm per seven citizens.

While Queensland has the highest number of legal firearms, followed by New South Wales (NSW) and the state of Victoria, it is the island state and the NT that have the most guns per person.

The data also contradicts the popular notion that guns are mostly possessed by those in the countryside.

Guns are prevalent in cities and their outskirts, with a significant portion located in major cities.

Critically, there are now more guns in fewer hands, with the typical gun owner possessing more than four firearms.

What Are Australia's Present Firearm Regulations?

Firearm regulations in Australia are not uniform across the country, with a patchwork implementation of rules in various regions.

Typically, to apply for a gun licence, an individual must be of legal age, deemed a "suitable candidate", pass a safety program, and provide a "valid purpose" for ownership.

The accepted reasons include recreational hunting or pest control, competitive shooting, certain job-related needs, and collecting.

However, significant shortcomings remain. For instance, young people in some states can have use of a firearm from as young as pre-teen age.

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

Automatic and semi-automatic rifles were banned, and security screenings alongside mandatory cooling-off periods for sales were introduced.

A key tenet of these reforms was the rejection 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 forceful about the need to bolster gun laws.

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

Other planned reforms now under consideration include:

• Restricting the number of guns an individual can legally own.
• Addressing "indefinite" licensing arrangements.
• Making Australian citizenship a condition for firearm ownership.
• Improving 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 proposed changes have drawn criticism from some quarters.

Pro-gun advocates argue that imposing caps would not have averted an attack driven by violent beliefs.

They suggest that focus would be better spent combating radicalisation rather than tightening regulations for the overwhelming number of licensed individuals.

Furthermore, a critical reform from 1996 – a centralised weapon tracking system – remains not yet operational, though it has now been listed as a priority.

A Painful Reminder

For campaigners, the Bondi attack is a tragic indication that regulations must evolve with changing times.

They argue that modernisation is needed to "keep up-to-date" and safeguard communities.

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

As one advocate noted, "It is unfortunate that it needs such a tragedy to focus attention and listen."