Australia had long been viewed as a international standard-bearer in gun control – the Bondi attack has revealed a far more complex truth.

On a Sunday afternoon in April 1996, a solitary shooter armed with powerful firearms took the lives of 35 people in the historic site of Port Arthur.

That national tragedy nearly thirty years ago, which led to some of the strictest gun laws in the world, can seem like a bygone age for many Australians.

However, the shooting at Bondi this past Sunday, which claimed 15 lives, has brought back painful recollections of the 1996 shootings.

Gun Ownership at a Historic Peak

A recent report 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 the late 1990s.

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

While the state of Queensland has the highest number of legal firearms, 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 popular notion that guns are mainly owned by those in the countryside.

Weapons are prevalent in metropolitan and suburban areas, with a sizable percentage located in major cities.

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

Understanding Australia's Existing Weapons Policies?

Gun control laws in Australia are varied across the country, with a patchwork implementation of rules across states and territories.

Generally, to apply for a gun licence, an individual must be over 18, deemed a "suitable candidate", pass a training and safety course, and provide a "legitimate need" for ownership.

The allowable purposes include sport shooting or animal management, marksmanship, certain professional duties, and as a hobby.

However, significant gaps remain. For instance, individuals under 18 in some areas 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 large-scale surrender scheme of over 650,000 firearms.

Rapid-fire weapons were prohibited, and background checks alongside mandatory cooling-off periods for sales were introduced.

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

Renewed Demands for Gun Law Reform

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

A national gun buyback scheme was unveiled, marking the first such effort since 1996.

Other suggested measures now under consideration include:

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

There are also calls for periodic reassessments of existing licence holders, acknowledging that "people's circumstances can change" over time.

A Complicated Debate

These reform efforts have sparked debate from some quarters.

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

They suggest that political capital would be better spent addressing root causes rather than tightening regulations for the overwhelming number of responsible owners.

Furthermore, a key proposed reform from 1996 – a national firearms register – remains unfinished, though it has now been listed as a urgent task.

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

While mass shootings remain uncommon in Australia compared to some nations, the risk persists, and the ongoing issue of firearms circulating illegally – through poor storage – continues to pose a problem.

As one advocate reflected, "It is unfortunate that it requires such a tragedy to prompt action and listen."