The nation of Australia was long seen as a global exemplar in firearm regulation – the Bondi tragedy has laid bare a more complicated situation.

On a weekend day in April 1996, a single attacker wielding semi-automatic rifles killed 35 people in the Australian tourist town of Port Arthur.

That horrific event nearly thirty years ago, which sparked some of the strictest weapons policies in the world, can feel like a bygone age for many residents.

However, the tragedy in Bondi this past Sunday, which left 15 dead, has rekindled memories of the Port Arthur massacre.

Firearm Possession at a Record High

A study released earlier this year revealed that there are now in excess of four million privately-owned firearms across the country – a figure that is almost double the amount from two decades prior.

This means approximately one gun for every seven Australians.

While the state of Queensland has the highest number of legal firearms, followed by NSW and the state of Victoria, it is the island state and the NT that have the highest rate of firearm ownership.

The data also contradicts the popular notion that guns are mainly owned by people in regional areas.

Firearms are common in urban centres, with a significant portion located in urban hubs.

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

Examining Australia's Present Firearm Regulations?

Gun control laws in Australia are not uniform across the country, with a mixed implementation of rules across states and territories.

Broadly speaking, to apply for a gun licence, an individual must be over 18, deemed a "fit and proper person", pass a training and safety course, and provide a "legitimate need" for ownership.

The allowable purposes include hunting or culling, marksmanship, certain occupational requirements, and for collections.

However, significant gaps remain. For instance, young people in some states can have access to 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 voluntary hand-in of over 650,000 firearms.

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

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

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

Other suggested measures now under consideration include:

• Limiting the number of guns an individual can have registered.
• Addressing "open-ended" licensing arrangements.
• Making permanent residency a condition for firearm ownership.
• Improving intelligence sharing during background check processes.

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

An Ongoing Controversy

These reform efforts have met with opposition from some quarters.

Pro-gun advocates argue that imposing caps would not have prevented an attack driven by extremist ideology.

They suggest that resources would be better spent combating radicalisation rather than tightening regulations for the vast majority of licensed individuals.

Furthermore, a key proposed reform from 1996 – a centralised weapon tracking system – remains incomplete, though it has now been listed as a urgent task.

A Painful Reminder

For reformers, the Bondi attack is a horrific reminder that gun laws must keep pace with new threats.

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

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

As one advocate noted, "It is regrettable that it requires such a loss of life to focus attention and pay heed."