The nation of Australia was widely regarded as a global exemplar in weapons legislation – the Bondi attack has laid bare a more complicated reality.

On a spring day in the year 1996, a lone gunman using rapid-fire weapons murdered 35 people in the historic site of Port Arthur.

That horrific event nearly a generation ago, which led to some of the strictest weapons policies in the world, can appear as a distant memory for many citizens.

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 Record High

A recent report revealed that there are now more than four million guns in private hands across the country – a figure that is almost double the amount from about 20 years ago.

This means approximately one firearm per seven citizens.

While Queensland has the most registered guns, followed by NSW and Victoria, it is the island state and the NT that have the most guns per person.

The data also dispels the popular notion that guns are mainly owned by those in the countryside.

Guns are prevalent in cities and their outskirts, with a significant portion located in population centres.

Critically, there are now more guns in fewer hands, with the average licence holder possessing more than four firearms.

Examining Australia's Current Gun Laws?

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

Generally, to apply for a gun licence, an individual must be of legal age, deemed a "responsible individual", pass a safety program, and provide a "valid purpose" for ownership.

The allowable purposes include hunting or culling, marksmanship, certain job-related needs, and as a hobby.

However, significant gaps remain. For instance, minors 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.

Certain types of firearms were outlawed, and background checks alongside mandatory cooling-off periods for sales were introduced.

A key tenet of these reforms was the rejection of "home security" as a justifiable cause for gun ownership.

New Push for Firearm Policy Changes

In the hours following the Bondi shooting, political leaders were forceful about the need to strengthen gun laws.

A weapons collection initiative was proposed, marking the largest such effort since 1996.

Other suggested measures now under consideration include:

• Restricting the number of guns an individual can have registered.
• Addressing "perpetual" licensing arrangements.
• Making Australian citizenship a prerequisite for firearm ownership.
• Strengthening intelligence sharing during background check processes.

There are also calls for ongoing evaluations of existing licence holders, acknowledging that "situations evolve" over time.

An Ongoing Controversy

These reform efforts have met with opposition from some quarters.

Pro-gun advocates maintain that imposing caps would not have prevented an attack driven by extremist ideology.

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

Furthermore, a long-promised reform from 1996 – a national firearms register – remains incomplete, though it has now been listed as a key project.

Tragedy as a Wake-Up Call

For long-time advocates, the Bondi attack is a tragic indication that policies must evolve with changing times.

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

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

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