Australia was widely regarded as a global exemplar in gun control – Bondi has exposed a more complicated truth.

On a Sunday afternoon in April 1996, a solitary shooter using semi-automatic rifles killed 35 people in the Australian tourist town of Port Arthur.

That horrific event nearly three decades ago, which sparked some of the strictest weapons policies in the world, can seem like a distant memory for many citizens.

However, the tragedy in Bondi this past Sunday, which left 15 dead, has brought back painful recollections of the Port Arthur massacre.

Firearm Possession at a Record High

A analysis revealed that there are now more than four million guns in private hands across the country – a figure that is almost double the amount from two decades prior.

This equates to approximately one gun for every seven Australians.

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

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

Firearms are widespread in metropolitan and suburban areas, with a significant portion located in population centres.

Critically, there are now more guns in fewer hands, with the typical gun owner possessing more than four firearms.

Examining Australia's Existing Weapons Policies?

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

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

The accepted reasons include recreational hunting or pest control, marksmanship, certain job-related needs, and as a hobby.

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

Following the Port Arthur massacre, a sweeping overhaul of national gun laws was enacted, leading to a large-scale surrender scheme of over 650,000 firearms.

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

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

New Push for Regulatory Tightening

In the wake the Bondi shooting, political leaders were unequivocal about the need to tighten gun laws.

A national gun buyback scheme was announced, marking the first 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 prerequisite for firearm ownership.
• Enhancing intelligence sharing during background check processes.

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

A Complicated Debate

These reform efforts have drawn criticism from some quarters.

Pro-gun advocates maintain that limiting gun numbers would not have stopped an attack driven by violent beliefs.

They suggest that focus would be better spent improving intelligence rather than changing laws for the great bulk of licensed individuals.

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

A Painful Reminder

For reformers, the Bondi attack is a tragic indication that policies must keep pace with technological advances.

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

While mass shootings remain infrequent in Australia compared to some nations, the potential persists, and the ongoing issue of firearms circulating illegally – through theft – continues to pose a challenge.

As one advocate reflected, "It is unfortunate that it takes such a devastating event to focus attention and listen."