Australia was long seen as a world leader in firearm regulation – Bondi has exposed a much murkier situation.

On a spring day in April 1996, a lone gunman wielding semi-automatic rifles murdered 35 people in the Australian tourist town of Port Arthur.

That horrific event nearly a generation ago, which ushered in some of the toughest gun laws in the world, can seem like a bygone age for many residents.

However, the shooting at Bondi this past Sunday, which claimed 15 lives, has rekindled memories of the Tasmanian tragedy.

Weapons Holdings at a Unprecedented Level

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 about 20 years ago.

This translates to approximately a weapon for each small group of people.

While Queensland has the largest arsenal, followed by New South Wales (NSW) and the state of Victoria, it is Tasmania and the NT that have the greatest density of weapons.

The data also dispels the popular notion that guns are mostly possessed by people in regional areas.

Weapons are widespread in cities and their outskirts, with a large share located in urban hubs.

Critically, there are now firearms concentrated among fewer owners, with the typical gun owner possessing several firearms.

Examining Australia's Current Gun Laws?

Gun control laws in Australia are inconsistent across the country, with a mixed implementation of rules in various regions.

Generally, to secure a gun licence, an individual must be of legal age, deemed a "responsible individual", pass a safety program, and provide a "genuine reason" for ownership.

The accepted reasons include hunting or culling, competitive shooting, certain job-related needs, and as a hobby.

However, significant shortcomings remain. For instance, minors in some states can have access to a firearm from as young as early adolescence.

Following the Port Arthur massacre, a comprehensive reform of national gun laws was enacted, leading to a voluntary hand-in of over 650,000 firearms.

Certain types of firearms were outlawed, and background checks alongside mandatory cooling-off periods for sales were introduced.

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

Fresh Calls for Regulatory Tightening

In the wake the Bondi shooting, political leaders were forceful about the need to tighten gun laws.

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

Other suggested measures now under consideration include:

• Capping the number of guns an individual can legally own.
• Ending "indefinite" licensing arrangements.
• Making permanent residency a condition for firearm ownership.
• Improving 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 Nuanced Discussion

These reform efforts have met with opposition from some quarters.

Pro-gun advocates maintain that limiting gun numbers would not have averted an attack driven by extremist ideology.

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

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

A Catalyst for Change

For long-time advocates, the Bondi attack is a stark warning that regulations must keep pace with new threats.

They argue that strengthening 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 challenge.

As one advocate stated, "It is unfortunate that it requires such a devastating event to get people to wake up and pay heed."