Australia had long been viewed as a global exemplar in gun control – the Bondi tragedy has revealed a far more complex reality.

On a Sunday afternoon in April 1996, a lone gunman wielding powerful firearms took the lives of 35 people in the Tasmanian tourist destination of Port Arthur.

That national tragedy nearly three decades ago, which ushered in some of the most stringent gun laws in the world, can seem like a different era for many citizens.

However, the shooting at Bondi this past Sunday, which left 15 dead, has brought back painful recollections of the 1996 shootings.

Weapons Holdings at a Unprecedented Level

A study released earlier this year 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 means approximately one gun for every seven Australians.

While Queensland has the most registered guns, followed by NSW and the state of Victoria, it is the island state and the Northern Territory that have the highest rate of firearm ownership.

The data also challenges the widespread belief that guns are mainly owned by people in regional areas.

Weapons are widespread in cities and their outskirts, with a sizable percentage located in urban hubs.

Critically, there are now firearms concentrated among fewer owners, with the registered individual possessing several firearms.

What Are Australia's Present Firearm Regulations?

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

Broadly speaking, 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 permitted justifications include hunting or culling, marksmanship, certain job-related needs, and collecting.

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.

Rapid-fire weapons were outlawed, and background checks alongside mandatory cooling-off periods for sales were introduced.

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

Renewed Demands for Regulatory Tightening

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

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

Other planned reforms now under consideration include:

• Restricting the number of guns an individual can have registered.
• Ending "perpetual" licensing arrangements.
• Making formal citizenship a requirement for firearm ownership.
• Improving intelligence sharing during licence application processes.

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

A Nuanced Discussion

These proposed changes have drawn criticism from some quarters.

Pro-gun advocates argue that limiting gun numbers would not have stopped an attack driven by extremist ideology.

They suggest that political capital would be better spent improving intelligence rather than restricting lawful owners for the great bulk of licensed individuals.

Furthermore, a critical reform from 1996 – a country-wide gun database – remains unfinished, though it has now been listed as a urgent task.

A Painful Reminder

For reformers, the Bondi attack is a stark warning that gun laws must be updated with technological advances.

They argue that strengthening is needed to "remain effective" and safeguard communities.

While mass shootings remain infrequent in Australia compared to some nations, the threat persists, and the challenge of guns in the wrong hands – through black markets – continues to pose a problem.

As one advocate noted, "It is regrettable that it takes such a tragedy to prompt action and pay heed."