Australia was widely regarded as a world leader in gun control – the Bondi tragedy has laid bare a far more complex situation.

On a weekend day in April 1996, a lone gunman wielding powerful firearms took the lives of 35 people in the Tasmanian tourist destination of Port Arthur.

That horrific event nearly three decades ago, which ushered in some of the toughest firearm regulations in the world, can appear as a distant memory for many residents.

However, the Bondi Beach attack this past Sunday, which left 15 dead, has revived the ghosts of the Tasmanian tragedy.

Firearm Possession at a Unprecedented Level

A analysis revealed that there are now more than 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 the state of Queensland has the highest number of legal firearms, 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 widespread belief that guns are mostly possessed by those in the countryside.

Weapons are prevalent in cities and their outskirts, with a significant portion located in population centres.

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

Examining Australia's Present Firearm Regulations?

Weapons legislation in Australia are not uniform across the country, with a disparate implementation of rules across states and territories.

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

The allowable purposes include recreational hunting or pest control, marksmanship, certain professional duties, and for collections.

However, significant shortcomings remain. For instance, individuals under 18 in some jurisdictions can have supervision of 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 banned, and security screenings alongside delays for sales were introduced.

A key tenet of these reforms was the elimination of "self-defence" as a acceptable grounds for gun ownership.

Renewed Demands for Gun Law Reform

In the hours following the Bondi shooting, political leaders were unequivocal about the need to bolster 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.
• Ending "perpetual" licensing arrangements.
• Making formal citizenship a prerequisite for firearm ownership.
• Improving intelligence sharing during background check processes.

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

A Nuanced Discussion

These proposed changes have sparked debate from some quarters.

Pro-gun advocates argue that restricting ownership would not have stopped an attack driven by radicalisation.

They suggest that political capital would be better spent addressing root causes rather than tightening regulations for the vast majority of law-abiding citizens.

Furthermore, a critical reform from 1996 – a centralised weapon tracking system – remains not yet operational, though it has now been listed as a urgent task.

A Painful Reminder

For reformers, the Bondi attack is a horrific reminder that policies must keep pace with changing times.

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

While mass shootings remain relatively rare in Australia compared to some nations, the potential persists, and the challenge of weapons being misused – through black markets – continues to pose a challenge.

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