Australia was long seen as a international standard-bearer in firearm regulation – the Bondi tragedy has laid bare a more complicated reality.

On a weekend day in 1996, a single attacker using semi-automatic rifles took the lives of 35 people in the Australian tourist town of Port Arthur.

That massacre nearly a generation ago, which sparked some of the strictest weapons policies in the world, can appear as a different era for many Australians.

However, the tragedy in Bondi this past Sunday, which resulted in 15 fatalities, has revived the ghosts of the 1996 shootings.

Firearm Possession at a Historic Peak

A recent report revealed that there are now in excess of four million weapons owned by civilians across the country – a figure that is roughly two times the amount from about 20 years ago.

This translates to approximately one firearm per seven citizens.

While the state of 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 dispels the common view that guns are mostly possessed by rural residents.

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

Critically, there are now more guns in fewer hands, with the registered individual possessing more than four firearms.

Understanding Australia's Present Firearm Regulations?

Gun control laws in Australia are not uniform across the country, with a mixed implementation of rules across states and territories.

Generally, to secure a gun licence, an individual must be of legal age, deemed a "fit and proper person", pass a competency test, and provide a "genuine reason" for ownership.

The allowable purposes include sport shooting or animal management, marksmanship, certain professional duties, and for collections.

However, significant gaps remain. For instance, minors in some states can have access to a firearm from as young as 10 or 12 years old.

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

Certain types of firearms were outlawed, and vetting procedures alongside waiting periods for sales were introduced.

A key tenet of these reforms was the removal of "home security" as a valid reason for gun ownership.

New Push for Gun Law Reform

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

A country-wide firearm surrender program was announced, marking the most significant such effort since 1996.

Other planned reforms now under consideration include:

• Restricting the number of guns an individual can have registered.
• Ending "indefinite" licensing arrangements.
• Making formal citizenship a requirement for firearm ownership.
• Strengthening intelligence sharing during vetting processes.

There are also calls for periodic reassessments of existing licence holders, acknowledging that "people's circumstances can change" over time.

A Complicated Debate

These proposed changes have drawn criticism from some quarters.

Pro-gun advocates maintain that restricting ownership would not have prevented an attack driven by violent beliefs.

They suggest that focus would be better spent combating radicalisation rather than tightening regulations for the great bulk of licensed individuals.

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

A Catalyst for Change

For campaigners, the Bondi attack is a horrific reminder that regulations must keep pace with new threats.

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

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

As one advocate reflected, "It's sad that it needs such a devastating event to get people to wake up and listen."