The nation of Australia had long been viewed as a international standard-bearer in gun control – the Bondi attack has exposed a far more complex situation.

On a spring day in 1996, a solitary shooter wielding rapid-fire weapons murdered 35 people in the Tasmanian tourist destination of Port Arthur.

That horrific event nearly three decades ago, which ushered in some of the toughest gun laws in the world, can feel like a distant memory for many Australians.

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

Gun Ownership at a Unprecedented Level

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 the late 1990s.

This translates to approximately one firearm per seven citizens.

While Queensland has the highest number of legal firearms, followed by New South Wales (NSW) and Victoria, it is the island state and the Northern Territory that have the most guns per person.

The data also contradicts the widespread belief that guns are mostly possessed by those in the countryside.

Firearms are common in metropolitan and suburban areas, with a large share located in population centres.

Critically, there are now more guns in fewer hands, with the registered individual possessing several firearms.

Examining Australia's Existing Weapons Policies?

Firearm regulations in Australia are inconsistent across the country, with a disparate implementation of rules across states and territories.

Generally, to obtain a gun licence, an individual must be an adult, deemed a "fit and proper person", pass a safety program, and provide a "genuine reason" for ownership.

The permitted justifications include hunting or culling, marksmanship, certain occupational requirements, and for collections.

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

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 outlawed, and vetting procedures alongside mandatory cooling-off periods 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 Gun Law Reform

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

A weapons collection initiative was unveiled, marking the most significant such effort since 1996.

Other planned reforms now under consideration include:

• Limiting the number of guns an individual can possess.
• Ending "open-ended" licensing arrangements.
• Making permanent residency a prerequisite for firearm ownership.
• Enhancing intelligence sharing during background check processes.

There are also calls for regular reviews of existing licence holders, acknowledging that "individuals can be radicalised" over time.

An Ongoing Controversy

These reform efforts have drawn criticism from some quarters.

Pro-gun advocates contend that restricting ownership would not have prevented an attack driven by extremist ideology.

They suggest that political capital would be better spent combating radicalisation rather than restricting lawful owners for the overwhelming number of law-abiding citizens.

Furthermore, a long-promised reform from 1996 – a centralised weapon tracking system – remains not yet operational, though it has now been listed as a urgent task.

A Painful Reminder

For reformers, the Bondi attack is a horrific reminder that policies must be updated with technological advances.

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

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

As one advocate noted, "It is regrettable that it needs such a loss of life to get people to wake up and listen."