Australia was widely regarded as a global exemplar in weapons legislation – the Bondi attack has laid bare a much murkier reality.

On a spring day in the year 1996, a solitary shooter armed with powerful firearms took the lives of 35 people in the Australian tourist town of Port Arthur.

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

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

Firearm Possession at a Record High

A analysis revealed that there are now over four million privately-owned firearms across the country – a figure that is nearly twice the amount from the late 1990s.

This translates to approximately one firearm per seven citizens.

While the state of Queensland has the largest arsenal, followed by New South Wales (NSW) and the state of Victoria, it is the island state and the Northern Territory that have the highest rate of firearm ownership.

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

Weapons are prevalent in urban centres, with a large share located in urban hubs.

Critically, there are now weapons owned by a smaller group, with the average licence holder possessing several firearms.

Examining Australia's Existing Weapons Policies?

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

Typically, to obtain a gun licence, an individual must be an adult, deemed a "responsible individual", pass a training and safety course, and provide a "valid purpose" for ownership.

The permitted justifications include hunting or culling, marksmanship, certain professional duties, and for collections.

However, significant loopholes remain. For instance, individuals under 18 in some states can have supervision of a firearm from as young as 10 or 12 years old.

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.

Automatic and semi-automatic rifles were outlawed, and vetting procedures alongside delays for sales were introduced.

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

New Push for Regulatory Tightening

In the immediate aftermath the Bondi shooting, political leaders were clear about the need to bolster gun laws.

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

Other suggested measures now under consideration include:

• Capping the number of guns an individual can have registered.
• Addressing "indefinite" licensing arrangements.
• Making formal citizenship a condition for firearm ownership.
• Improving intelligence sharing during vetting processes.

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

An Ongoing Controversy

These proposed changes have met with opposition 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 improving intelligence rather than restricting lawful owners for the overwhelming number of licensed individuals.

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 reformers, the Bondi attack is a horrific reminder that gun laws must be updated with changing times.

They argue that reform is needed to "keep up-to-date" and protect public safety.

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

As one advocate reflected, "It is unfortunate that it needs such a tragedy to get people to wake up and take notice."