Australia was long seen as a global exemplar in weapons legislation – the Bondi attack has laid bare a far more complex truth.

On a weekend day in 1996, a solitary shooter armed with rapid-fire weapons took the lives of 35 people in the Tasmanian tourist destination of Port Arthur.

That national tragedy nearly thirty years ago, which sparked some of the strictest gun laws in the world, can feel like a different era for many citizens.

However, the shooting at Bondi this past Sunday, which resulted in 15 fatalities, has revived the ghosts of the 1996 shootings.

Weapons Holdings at a Record High

A study released earlier this year revealed that there are now more than four million weapons owned by civilians across the country – a figure that is almost double the amount from about 20 years ago.

This translates to approximately a weapon for each small group of people.

While the state of Queensland has the largest arsenal, followed by NSW and the state of Victoria, it is Tasmania and the NT that have the most guns per person.

The data also challenges the popular notion that guns are mainly owned by rural residents.

Weapons are prevalent in metropolitan and suburban areas, with a sizable percentage located in urban hubs.

Critically, there are now weapons owned by a smaller group, with the average licence holder possessing over four firearms.

What Are Australia's Present Firearm Regulations?

Firearm regulations in Australia are not uniform across the country, with a patchwork implementation of rules across states and territories.

Broadly speaking, to obtain a gun licence, an individual must be of legal age, deemed a "fit and proper person", pass a safety program, and provide a "legitimate need" for ownership.

The permitted justifications include recreational hunting or pest control, competitive shooting, certain professional duties, and collecting.

However, significant gaps remain. For instance, minors in some areas can have access to a firearm from as young as pre-teen age.

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

Rapid-fire weapons were outlawed, and security screenings alongside waiting periods for sales were introduced.

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

Fresh Calls for Gun Law Reform

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

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

Other planned reforms now under consideration include:

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

There are also calls for ongoing evaluations 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 argue 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 changing laws for the vast majority of licensed individuals.

Furthermore, a key proposed reform from 1996 – a centralised weapon tracking system – remains incomplete, though it has now been listed as a priority.

A Painful Reminder

For long-time advocates, the Bondi attack is a tragic indication that regulations must be updated with changing times.

They argue that reform is needed to "keep up-to-date" and safeguard communities.

While mass shootings remain uncommon in Australia compared to some nations, the risk persists, and the ongoing issue of guns in the wrong hands – through theft – continues to pose a challenge.

As one advocate reflected, "It's sad that it needs such a devastating event to get people to wake up and listen."