Australia was long seen as a global exemplar in gun control – the Bondi tragedy has revealed a much murkier situation.

On a Sunday afternoon in April 1996, a single attacker wielding rapid-fire weapons murdered 35 people in the Australian tourist town of Port Arthur.

That massacre nearly a generation ago, which ushered in some of the strictest firearm regulations in the world, can seem like a bygone age for many residents.

However, the tragedy in Bondi this past Sunday, which resulted in 15 fatalities, has revived the ghosts of the Tasmanian tragedy.

Weapons Holdings 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 two decades prior.

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

While the state of Queensland has the most registered guns, followed by NSW and the state of Victoria, it is Tasmania and the NT that have the highest rate of firearm ownership.

The data also dispels the popular notion that guns are mostly possessed by those in the countryside.

Weapons are widespread in metropolitan and suburban areas, with a sizable percentage located in population centres.

Critically, there are now firearms concentrated among fewer owners, with the registered individual possessing several firearms.

Understanding Australia's Existing Weapons Policies?

Weapons legislation in Australia are varied across the country, with a patchwork implementation of rules between different jurisdictions.

Generally, to secure 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 sport shooting or animal management, target or sport shooting, certain occupational requirements, and as a hobby.

However, significant loopholes 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 comprehensive reform of national gun laws was enacted, leading to a large-scale surrender scheme of over 650,000 firearms.

Automatic and semi-automatic rifles were prohibited, and background checks alongside delays for sales were introduced.

A key tenet of these reforms was the rejection of "self-defence" as a acceptable grounds for gun ownership.

Renewed Demands for Regulatory Tightening

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

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

Other proposals now under consideration include:

• Restricting the number of guns an individual can possess.
• 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 ongoing evaluations 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 limiting gun numbers would not have prevented an attack driven by radicalisation.

They suggest that resources would be better spent addressing root causes rather than restricting lawful owners 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.

A Painful Reminder

For campaigners, the Bondi attack is a horrific reminder that policies must evolve with new threats.

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

While mass shootings remain uncommon in Australia compared to some nations, the threat persists, and the legacy of firearms circulating illegally – through poor storage – continues to pose a challenge.

As one advocate reflected, "It's sad that it takes such a loss of life to get people to wake up and listen."