Australia had long been viewed as a global exemplar in gun control – the Bondi tragedy has exposed a more complicated situation.

On a weekend day in the year 1996, a lone gunman armed with rapid-fire weapons took the lives of 35 people in the Tasmanian tourist destination of Port Arthur.

That massacre nearly thirty years ago, which sparked some of the strictest weapons policies in the world, can feel like a distant memory for many Australians.

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

Weapons Holdings at a Record High

A recent report revealed that there are now in excess of 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 firearm per seven citizens.

While Queensland has the most registered guns, followed by NSW and the state of Victoria, it is Tasmania and the Northern Territory that have the most guns per person.

The data also contradicts the popular notion that guns are mainly owned by those in the countryside.

Guns are common in metropolitan and suburban areas, with a sizable percentage located in urban hubs.

Critically, there are now firearms concentrated among fewer owners, with the typical gun owner possessing more than four firearms.

Examining Australia's Existing Weapons Policies?

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

Generally, to obtain a gun licence, an individual must be an adult, deemed a "fit and proper person", pass a competency test, and provide a "valid purpose" for ownership.

The allowable purposes include recreational hunting or pest control, marksmanship, certain professional duties, and collecting.

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

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

Certain types of firearms were prohibited, and security screenings alongside mandatory cooling-off periods for sales were introduced.

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

Fresh Calls for Firearm Policy Changes

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

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

Other planned reforms now under consideration include:

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

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

A Complicated Debate

These swift actions have sparked debate from some quarters.

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

They suggest that resources would be better spent combating radicalisation rather than tightening regulations for the overwhelming number of responsible owners.

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

Tragedy as a Wake-Up Call

For campaigners, the Bondi attack is a tragic indication that gun laws must be updated with new threats.

They argue that modernisation is needed to "keep up-to-date" and protect public safety.

While mass shootings remain uncommon in Australia compared to some nations, the threat persists, and the challenge of firearms circulating illegally – through black markets – continues to pose a danger.

As one advocate noted, "It is regrettable that it requires such a tragedy to prompt action and take notice."