Australia was widely regarded as a global exemplar in gun control – the Bondi tragedy has revealed a far more complex truth.

On a spring day in April 1996, a single attacker armed with rapid-fire weapons took the lives of 35 people in the Australian tourist town of Port Arthur.

That massacre nearly a generation ago, which led to some of the most stringent weapons policies in the world, can feel like a different era for many citizens.

However, the tragedy in Bondi this past Sunday, which left 15 dead, has brought back painful recollections of the 1996 shootings.

Firearm Possession at a Historic Peak

A recent report revealed that there are now more than four million weapons owned by civilians across the country – a figure that is roughly two times the amount from the late 1990s.

This translates to approximately one firearm per seven citizens.

While Queensland has the most registered guns, followed by New South Wales (NSW) and the state of Victoria, it is the island state and the NT that have the highest rate of firearm ownership.

The data also dispels the popular notion that guns are mainly owned by those in the countryside.

Weapons are prevalent in metropolitan and suburban areas, with a large share located in population centres.

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

Understanding Australia's Present Firearm Regulations?

Weapons legislation in Australia are inconsistent across the country, with a mixed implementation of rules across states and territories.

Broadly speaking, to obtain a gun licence, an individual must be of legal age, 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, competitive shooting, certain occupational requirements, and collecting.

However, significant shortcomings remain. For instance, young people in some areas can have supervision of a firearm from as young as 10 or 12 years old.

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.

Automatic and semi-automatic rifles were outlawed, and security screenings alongside mandatory cooling-off periods for sales were introduced.

A key tenet of these reforms was the removal of "personal protection" as a acceptable grounds for gun ownership.

Renewed Demands for Firearm Policy Changes

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

A country-wide firearm surrender program was proposed, marking the first such effort since 1996.

Other planned reforms now under consideration include:

• Limiting the number of guns an individual can legally own.
• Reforming "indefinite" licensing arrangements.
• Making Australian citizenship a requirement for firearm ownership.
• Enhancing intelligence sharing during background check processes.

There are also calls for periodic reassessments of existing licence holders, acknowledging that "situations evolve" over time.

An Ongoing Controversy

These reform efforts have sparked debate from some quarters.

Pro-gun advocates contend that imposing caps would not have prevented an attack driven by extremist ideology.

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

Furthermore, a long-promised reform from 1996 – a national firearms register – remains unfinished, though it has now been listed as a priority.

A Painful Reminder

For reformers, the Bondi attack is a stark warning that policies must be updated with new threats.

They argue that modernisation is needed to "address deficiencies" and safeguard communities.

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

As one advocate stated, "It's sad that it requires such a loss of life to focus attention and listen."