Australia was long seen as a international standard-bearer in weapons legislation – the Bondi attack has revealed a far more complex situation.

On a Sunday afternoon in April 1996, a lone gunman armed with semi-automatic rifles murdered 35 people in the historic site of Port Arthur.

That national tragedy nearly a generation ago, which sparked some of the strictest firearm regulations in the world, can seem like a different era for many citizens.

However, the tragedy in Bondi this past Sunday, which resulted in 15 fatalities, has brought back painful recollections of the Tasmanian tragedy.

Gun Ownership at a Unprecedented Level

A analysis revealed that there are now over four million privately-owned firearms across the country – a figure that is almost double the amount from two decades prior.

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

While Queensland has the highest number of legal firearms, followed by NSW and the state of Victoria, it is the island state and the Northern Territory that have the highest rate of firearm ownership.

The data also dispels the widespread belief that guns are mostly possessed by rural residents.

Weapons are prevalent in cities and their outskirts, with a significant portion located in urban hubs.

Critically, there are now weapons owned by a smaller group, with the registered individual possessing over four firearms.

Understanding Australia's Existing Weapons Policies?

Firearm regulations in Australia are varied across the country, with a mixed implementation of rules in various regions.

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

The permitted justifications include sport shooting or animal management, competitive shooting, certain professional duties, and as a hobby.

However, significant gaps remain. For instance, minors in some areas can have use of a firearm from as young as early adolescence.

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.

Automatic and semi-automatic rifles were outlawed, and background checks alongside mandatory cooling-off periods for sales were introduced.

A key tenet of these reforms was the elimination of "home security" as a acceptable grounds for gun ownership.

New Push for Gun Law Reform

In the immediate aftermath the Bondi shooting, political leaders were unequivocal about the need to strengthen gun laws.

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

Other proposals now under consideration include:

• Limiting the number of guns an individual can legally own.
• Reforming "open-ended" licensing arrangements.
• Making Australian citizenship a condition for firearm ownership.
• Improving 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 met with opposition from some quarters.

Pro-gun advocates contend that imposing caps would not have averted an attack driven by violent beliefs.

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

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

Tragedy as a Wake-Up Call

For campaigners, the Bondi attack is a tragic indication that policies must be updated with technological advances.

They argue that modernisation is needed to "keep up-to-date" and prevent future tragedies.

While mass shootings remain relatively rare in Australia compared to some nations, the potential persists, and the legacy of firearms circulating illegally – through black markets – continues to pose a danger.

As one advocate reflected, "It is regrettable that it takes such a devastating event to get people to wake up and listen."