Australia was widely regarded as a world leader in firearm regulation – the Bondi tragedy has revealed a far more complex reality.

On a Sunday afternoon in April 1996, a single attacker using powerful firearms killed 35 people in the Australian tourist town of Port Arthur.

That national tragedy nearly thirty years ago, which sparked some of the strictest firearm regulations in the world, can appear as 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 Historic Peak

A recent report revealed that there are now more than four million privately-owned firearms across the country – a figure that is almost double the amount from about 20 years ago.

This equates to approximately a weapon for each small group of people.

While Queensland has the most registered guns, followed by NSW and the state of Victoria, it is Tasmania and the NT that have the greatest density of weapons.

The data also dispels the popular notion that guns are primarily held by rural residents.

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

Critically, there are now weapons owned by a smaller group, with the typical gun owner possessing several firearms.

What Are Australia's Existing Weapons Policies?

Firearm regulations in Australia are inconsistent across the country, with a disparate implementation of rules in various regions.

Typically, to secure a gun licence, an individual must be an adult, deemed a "suitable candidate", pass a competency test, and provide a "legitimate need" for ownership.

The allowable purposes include hunting or culling, marksmanship, certain job-related needs, and collecting.

However, significant gaps remain. For instance, minors in some jurisdictions can have access to a firearm from as young as early adolescence.

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

Automatic and semi-automatic rifles were prohibited, and background checks alongside delays for sales were introduced.

A key tenet of these reforms was the elimination of "self-defence" as a valid reason for gun ownership.

New Push for Firearm Policy Changes

In the immediate aftermath the Bondi shooting, political leaders were forceful about the need to bolster gun laws.

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

Other suggested measures now under consideration include:

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

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

An Ongoing Controversy

These swift actions have drawn criticism from some quarters.

Pro-gun advocates maintain that restricting ownership would not have stopped an attack driven by radicalisation.

They suggest that political capital would be better spent addressing root causes rather than tightening regulations for the great bulk of law-abiding citizens.

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

A Catalyst for Change

For reformers, the Bondi attack is a tragic indication that policies must evolve with new threats.

They argue that strengthening is needed to "keep up-to-date" and prevent future tragedies.

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

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