The nation of Australia was widely regarded as a international standard-bearer in gun control – the Bondi attack has revealed a more complicated situation.

On a weekend day in 1996, a solitary shooter armed with powerful firearms murdered 35 people in the historic site of Port Arthur.

That horrific event nearly thirty years ago, which ushered in some of the most stringent weapons policies in the world, can appear as a distant memory for many Australians.

However, the shooting at Bondi this past Sunday, which resulted in 15 fatalities, has brought back painful recollections of the Port Arthur massacre.

Gun Ownership at a Historic Peak

A study released earlier this year revealed that there are now over four million weapons owned by civilians across the country – a figure that is nearly twice the amount from the late 1990s.

This translates to approximately one firearm per seven citizens.

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

The data also challenges the popular notion that guns are primarily held by people in regional areas.

Weapons are prevalent in metropolitan and suburban areas, with a significant portion located in major cities.

Critically, there are now firearms concentrated among fewer owners, with the average licence holder possessing over four firearms.

Examining Australia's Present Firearm Regulations?

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

Typically, to apply for a gun licence, an individual must be of legal age, deemed a "suitable candidate", pass a competency test, and provide a "genuine reason" for ownership.

The permitted justifications include hunting or culling, target or sport shooting, certain job-related needs, and for collections.

However, significant loopholes remain. For instance, young people in some states can have use of a firearm from as young as pre-teen age.

Following the Port Arthur massacre, a comprehensive reform of national gun laws was enacted, leading to a massive buyback of over 650,000 firearms.

Certain types of firearms were prohibited, and background checks alongside delays for sales were introduced.

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

Renewed Demands for Gun Law Reform

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

A weapons collection initiative was proposed, marking the largest such effort since 1996.

Other suggested measures now under consideration include:

• Capping the number of guns an individual can have registered.
• Ending "open-ended" licensing arrangements.
• Making formal citizenship a prerequisite for firearm ownership.
• Enhancing intelligence sharing during vetting processes.

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

An Ongoing Controversy

These swift actions have met with opposition from some quarters.

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

They suggest that political capital would be better spent improving intelligence rather than tightening regulations for the overwhelming number of licensed individuals.

Furthermore, a critical reform from 1996 – a country-wide gun database – remains not yet operational, though it has now been listed as a priority.

A Catalyst for Change

For campaigners, the Bondi attack is a horrific reminder that policies must keep pace with new threats.

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

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

As one advocate noted, "It is unfortunate that it needs such a devastating event to get people to wake up and take notice."