Australia was long seen as a global exemplar in gun control – the Bondi tragedy has laid bare a much murkier situation.

On a Sunday afternoon in 1996, a single attacker armed with rapid-fire weapons murdered 35 people in the historic site of Port Arthur.

That massacre nearly a generation ago, which led to some of the strictest firearm regulations in the world, can appear as a bygone age for many residents.

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

Firearm Possession at a Historic Peak

A recent report revealed that there are now over four million guns in private hands across the country – a figure that is roughly two times the amount from the late 1990s.

This means approximately one firearm per seven citizens.

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

The data also contradicts the common view that guns are primarily held by those in the countryside.

Weapons are prevalent in metropolitan and suburban areas, with a significant portion located in urban hubs.

Critically, there are now more guns in fewer hands, with the registered individual possessing several firearms.

Examining Australia's Current Gun Laws?

Firearm regulations in Australia are inconsistent across the country, with a mixed implementation of rules between different jurisdictions.

Broadly speaking, to obtain a gun licence, an individual must be an adult, deemed a "fit and proper person", pass a competency test, and provide a "genuine reason" for ownership.

The permitted justifications include recreational hunting or pest control, target or sport shooting, certain occupational requirements, and collecting.

However, significant loopholes remain. For instance, young people in some jurisdictions can have access to 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 banned, and vetting procedures 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.

New Push for Firearm Policy Changes

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

A national gun buyback scheme was proposed, marking the largest such effort since 1996.

Other planned reforms now under consideration include:

• Limiting the number of guns an individual can have registered.
• Addressing "indefinite" licensing arrangements.
• Making permanent residency a requirement for firearm ownership.
• Strengthening intelligence sharing during licence application processes.

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

A Complicated Debate

These proposed changes have met with opposition from some quarters.

Pro-gun advocates argue that imposing caps would not have prevented an attack driven by radicalisation.

They suggest that focus would be better spent combating radicalisation rather than restricting lawful owners for the vast majority of law-abiding citizens.

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

A Catalyst for Change

For campaigners, the Bondi attack is a tragic indication that gun laws must keep pace with changing times.

They argue that modernisation is needed to "remain effective" and protect public safety.

While mass shootings remain uncommon in Australia compared to some nations, the potential persists, and the ongoing issue of guns in the wrong hands – through black markets – continues to pose a problem.

As one advocate reflected, "It is regrettable that it needs such a devastating event to get people to wake up and pay heed."