Australia was long seen as a international standard-bearer in firearm regulation – Bondi has revealed a more complicated truth.

On a Sunday afternoon in April 1996, a solitary shooter wielding semi-automatic rifles killed 35 people in the Tasmanian tourist destination of Port Arthur.

That massacre nearly three decades ago, which ushered in some of the strictest firearm regulations in the world, can appear as a distant memory for many citizens.

However, the shooting at Bondi this past Sunday, which resulted in 15 fatalities, has rekindled memories of the 1996 shootings.

Gun Ownership at a Historic Peak

A analysis revealed that there are now over four million privately-owned firearms across the country – a figure that is roughly two times the amount from two decades prior.

This translates to approximately one firearm per seven citizens.

While Queensland has the largest arsenal, followed by NSW and Victoria, it is the island state and the Northern Territory that have the most guns per person.

The data also contradicts the common view that guns are mostly possessed by those in the countryside.

Weapons are common in urban centres, with a sizable percentage located in major cities.

Critically, there are now more guns in fewer hands, with the average licence holder possessing more than four firearms.

What Are Australia's Existing Weapons Policies?

Weapons legislation in Australia are varied across the country, with a disparate implementation of rules in various regions.

Broadly speaking, to obtain a gun licence, an individual must be over 18, deemed a "fit and proper person", pass a training and safety course, and provide a "valid purpose" for ownership.

The accepted reasons include hunting or culling, marksmanship, certain job-related needs, and collecting.

However, significant loopholes remain. For instance, young people in some areas can have use 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 massive buyback of over 650,000 firearms.

Rapid-fire weapons were outlawed, 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 acceptable grounds for gun ownership.

New Push for Regulatory Tightening

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

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

Other planned reforms now under consideration include:

• Capping the number of guns an individual can possess.
• Reforming "perpetual" licensing arrangements.
• Making permanent residency a prerequisite for firearm ownership.
• Enhancing intelligence sharing during vetting processes.

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

A Nuanced Discussion

These reform efforts have sparked debate from some quarters.

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

They suggest that resources would be better spent addressing root causes rather than restricting lawful owners for the vast majority of licensed individuals.

Furthermore, a long-promised reform from 1996 – a centralised weapon tracking system – remains incomplete, though it has now been listed as a key project.

A Painful Reminder

For reformers, the Bondi attack is a tragic indication that regulations must evolve with technological advances.

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 challenge of weapons being misused – through poor storage – continues to pose a challenge.

As one advocate reflected, "It is unfortunate that it needs such a devastating event to prompt action and pay heed."