Australia was long seen as a international standard-bearer in weapons legislation – the Bondi attack has laid bare a much murkier reality.

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

That massacre nearly thirty years ago, which sparked some of the most stringent firearm regulations in the world, can feel like a distant memory for many Australians.

However, the shooting at Bondi this past Sunday, which claimed 15 lives, has brought back painful recollections of the Tasmanian tragedy.

Firearm Possession at a Record High

A study released earlier this year revealed that there are now more than four million privately-owned firearms across the country – a figure that is roughly two times the amount from about 20 years ago.

This equates to approximately one firearm per seven citizens.

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

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

Guns are widespread in urban centres, with a large share located in urban hubs.

Critically, there are now firearms concentrated among fewer owners, with the typical gun owner possessing over four firearms.

Examining Australia's Existing Weapons Policies?

Firearm regulations in Australia are not uniform across the country, with a disparate 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 "genuine reason" for ownership.

The accepted reasons include hunting or culling, competitive shooting, certain job-related needs, and collecting.

However, significant shortcomings remain. For instance, minors in some areas can have use 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 large-scale surrender scheme 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 removal of "personal protection" as a justifiable cause for gun ownership.

Fresh Calls for Firearm Policy Changes

In the wake the Bondi shooting, political leaders were forceful about the need to strengthen gun laws.

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

Other proposals now under consideration include:

• Restricting the number of guns an individual can possess.
• Reforming "open-ended" licensing arrangements.
• Making permanent residency a requirement for firearm ownership.
• Strengthening intelligence sharing during vetting processes.

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

A Nuanced Discussion

These proposed changes have drawn criticism from some quarters.

Pro-gun advocates maintain that limiting gun numbers would not have averted an attack driven by radicalisation.

They suggest that resources would be better spent combating radicalisation rather than changing laws for the vast majority of responsible owners.

Furthermore, a long-promised reform from 1996 – a country-wide gun database – remains incomplete, though it has now been listed as a key project.

A Catalyst for Change

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

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 threat persists, and the ongoing issue of weapons being misused – through poor storage – continues to pose a challenge.

As one advocate noted, "It is regrettable that it takes such a tragedy to get people to wake up and pay heed."