Australia was widely regarded as a international standard-bearer in firearm regulation – Bondi has laid bare a more complicated reality.

On a Sunday afternoon in April 1996, a solitary shooter armed with powerful firearms took the lives of 35 people in the Australian tourist town of Port Arthur.

That national tragedy nearly three decades ago, which ushered in some of the most stringent firearm regulations in the world, can feel like a distant memory for many Australians.

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

Weapons Holdings at a Historic Peak

A analysis revealed that there are now in excess of four million weapons owned by civilians across the country – a figure that is nearly twice the amount from about 20 years ago.

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

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

The data also challenges the popular notion that guns are mainly owned by rural residents.

Guns are prevalent in metropolitan and suburban areas, with a large share located in major cities.

Critically, there are now firearms concentrated among fewer owners, with the average licence holder possessing several firearms.

Examining Australia's Present Firearm Regulations?

Weapons legislation in Australia are varied across the country, with a disparate implementation of rules across states and territories.

Generally, to obtain a gun licence, an individual must be of legal age, deemed a "suitable candidate", pass a safety program, and provide a "legitimate need" for ownership.

The allowable purposes include recreational hunting or pest control, marksmanship, certain occupational requirements, and as a hobby.

However, significant shortcomings remain. For instance, young people in some jurisdictions can have use of a firearm from as young as pre-teen age.

Following the Port Arthur massacre, a comprehensive reform of national gun laws was enacted, leading to a massive buyback of over 650,000 firearms.

Rapid-fire weapons were outlawed, and security screenings alongside delays for sales were introduced.

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

Fresh Calls for Firearm Policy Changes

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

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

Other planned reforms now under consideration include:

• Restricting the number of guns an individual can have registered.
• Ending "perpetual" licensing arrangements.
• Making Australian citizenship a condition 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 swift actions have sparked debate from some quarters.

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

They suggest that focus would be better spent improving intelligence rather than restricting lawful owners for the vast majority of law-abiding citizens.

Furthermore, a long-promised reform from 1996 – a country-wide gun database – remains unfinished, though it has now been listed as a key project.

A Painful Reminder

For long-time advocates, the Bondi attack is a horrific reminder that regulations must be updated with changing times.

They argue that strengthening is needed to "remain effective" and prevent future tragedies.

While mass shootings remain infrequent in Australia compared to some nations, the threat persists, and the challenge of guns in the wrong hands – through black markets – continues to pose a problem.

As one advocate reflected, "It is regrettable that it takes such a devastating event to prompt action and take notice."