Australia was long seen as a world leader in weapons legislation – Bondi has laid bare a far more complex situation.

On a Sunday afternoon in April 1996, a solitary shooter wielding semi-automatic rifles took the lives of 35 people in the historic site of Port Arthur.

That horrific event nearly three decades ago, which led to some of the strictest weapons policies in the world, can appear as a distant memory for many Australians.

However, the shooting at Bondi this past Sunday, which left 15 dead, has rekindled memories of the Tasmanian tragedy.

Firearm Possession at a Record High

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

This means approximately a weapon for each small group of people.

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

The data also dispels the common view that guns are primarily held by rural residents.

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

Critically, there are now more guns in fewer hands, with the average licence holder possessing several firearms.

Examining Australia's Existing Weapons Policies?

Weapons legislation in Australia are varied across the country, with a mixed implementation of rules between different jurisdictions.

Broadly speaking, to secure a gun licence, an individual must be over 18, deemed a "suitable candidate", pass a safety program, and provide a "genuine reason" for ownership.

The permitted justifications include hunting or culling, marksmanship, certain occupational requirements, and as a hobby.

However, significant gaps remain. For instance, young people in some jurisdictions can have use of a firearm from as young as 10 or 12 years old.

Following the Port Arthur massacre, a sweeping overhaul of national gun laws was enacted, leading to a voluntary hand-in of over 650,000 firearms.

Certain types of firearms were outlawed, and security screenings alongside delays for sales were introduced.

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

New Push for Gun Law Reform

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

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

Other suggested measures now under consideration include:

• Restricting the number of guns an individual can possess.
• Ending "open-ended" licensing arrangements.
• Making Australian citizenship a requirement for firearm ownership.
• Enhancing intelligence sharing during vetting 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 proposed changes have met with opposition from some quarters.

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

They suggest that resources would be better spent improving intelligence rather than restricting lawful owners for the overwhelming number of law-abiding citizens.

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

A Painful Reminder

For long-time advocates, the Bondi attack is a stark warning that regulations must be updated with new threats.

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

While mass shootings remain relatively rare in Australia compared to some nations, the threat persists, and the challenge of guns in the wrong hands – through poor storage – continues to pose a problem.

As one advocate reflected, "It is regrettable that it takes such a loss of life to prompt action and listen."