The nation of Australia was widely regarded as a global exemplar in gun control – Bondi has revealed a far more complex situation.

On a weekend day in 1996, a solitary shooter wielding powerful firearms murdered 35 people in the historic site of Port Arthur.

That national tragedy nearly three decades ago, which sparked some of the toughest weapons policies in the world, can seem like a distant memory for many residents.

However, the shooting at Bondi this past Sunday, which resulted in 15 fatalities, has brought back painful recollections of the 1996 shootings.

Firearm Possession at a Unprecedented Level

A study released earlier this year revealed that there are now over four million weapons owned by civilians across the country – a figure that is almost double the amount from the late 1990s.

This means approximately one firearm per seven citizens.

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

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

Firearms are widespread in cities and their outskirts, with a sizable percentage located in population centres.

Critically, there are now weapons owned by a smaller group, with the average licence holder possessing over four firearms.

Examining Australia's Current Gun Laws?

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

Generally, to secure a gun licence, an individual must be over 18, deemed a "responsible individual", pass a safety program, and provide a "genuine reason" for ownership.

The allowable purposes include hunting or culling, marksmanship, certain professional duties, and for collections.

However, significant gaps remain. For instance, young people in some states can have supervision 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 large-scale surrender scheme of over 650,000 firearms.

Certain types of firearms were banned, and vetting procedures alongside delays for sales were introduced.

A key tenet of these reforms was the rejection of "home security" as a acceptable grounds 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 national gun buyback scheme was unveiled, marking the largest such effort since 1996.

Other proposals now under consideration include:

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

There are also calls for periodic reassessments 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 imposing caps would not have averted an attack driven by radicalisation.

They suggest that political capital would be better spent addressing root causes rather than tightening regulations for the great bulk of law-abiding citizens.

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

Tragedy as a Wake-Up Call

For reformers, the Bondi attack is a tragic indication that policies must keep pace with changing times.

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

While mass shootings remain uncommon in Australia compared to some nations, the potential persists, and the ongoing issue of firearms circulating illegally – through poor storage – continues to pose a problem.

As one advocate reflected, "It is unfortunate that it needs such a loss of life to get people to wake up and take notice."