The nation of Australia had long been viewed as a world leader in gun control – the Bondi tragedy has laid bare a far more complex situation.

On a spring day in the year 1996, a solitary shooter using rapid-fire weapons took the lives of 35 people in the historic site of Port Arthur.

That massacre nearly three decades ago, which sparked some of the toughest weapons policies in the world, can appear as a distant memory for many Australians.

However, the tragedy in Bondi this past Sunday, which left 15 dead, has rekindled memories of the 1996 shootings.

Weapons Holdings at a Historic Peak

A recent report revealed that there are now more than four million guns in private hands across the country – a figure that is roughly two times the amount from the late 1990s.

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

While Queensland has the highest number of legal firearms, followed by New South Wales (NSW) and Victoria, it is the island state and the NT that have the most guns per person.

The data also challenges the widespread belief that guns are primarily held by rural residents.

Guns are prevalent in urban centres, with a large share located in major cities.

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

Examining Australia's Existing Weapons Policies?

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

Typically, to obtain a gun licence, an individual must be of legal age, deemed a "suitable candidate", pass a competency test, and provide a "valid purpose" for ownership.

The accepted reasons include hunting or culling, marksmanship, certain occupational requirements, and collecting.

However, significant shortcomings remain. For instance, individuals under 18 in some jurisdictions can have access to a firearm from as young as pre-teen age.

Following the Port Arthur massacre, a major rewrite of national gun laws was enacted, leading to a large-scale surrender scheme of over 650,000 firearms.

Rapid-fire weapons were prohibited, and security screenings alongside waiting periods 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 Gun Law Reform

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

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

Other suggested measures now under consideration include:

• Limiting the number of guns an individual can possess.
• Addressing "open-ended" licensing arrangements.
• Making Australian citizenship a prerequisite for firearm ownership.
• Enhancing intelligence sharing during licence application processes.

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

A Nuanced Discussion

These proposed changes have met with opposition from some quarters.

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

They suggest that focus would be better spent combating radicalisation rather than restricting lawful owners for the overwhelming number of licensed individuals.

Furthermore, a critical reform from 1996 – a country-wide gun database – remains unfinished, 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 keep pace with new threats.

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

While mass shootings remain uncommon in Australia compared to some nations, the risk persists, and the legacy of guns in the wrong hands – through poor storage – continues to pose a challenge.

As one advocate reflected, "It is regrettable that it requires such a loss of life to focus attention and pay heed."