The nation of Australia was widely regarded as a global exemplar in firearm regulation – Bondi has revealed a much murkier reality.

On a spring day in the year 1996, a solitary shooter using semi-automatic rifles killed 35 people in the historic site of Port Arthur.

That massacre nearly a generation ago, which sparked some of the most stringent weapons policies in the world, can appear as a bygone age for many Australians.

However, the shooting at Bondi this past Sunday, which left 15 dead, has revived the ghosts of the Port Arthur massacre.

Gun Ownership at a Historic Peak

A analysis revealed that there are now over four million weapons owned by civilians across the country – a figure that is almost double the amount from about 20 years ago.

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

While the state of Queensland has the most registered guns, followed by New South Wales (NSW) and the state of Victoria, it is Tasmania and the NT that have the greatest density of weapons.

The data also challenges the widespread belief that guns are mainly owned by people in regional areas.

Firearms are common in cities and their outskirts, with a large share located in population centres.

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

What Are Australia's Present Firearm Regulations?

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

Broadly speaking, to secure a gun licence, an individual must be an adult, deemed a "responsible individual", pass a training and safety course, and provide a "valid purpose" for ownership.

The permitted justifications include recreational hunting or pest control, competitive shooting, certain occupational requirements, and as a hobby.

However, significant gaps remain. For instance, young people in some states can have supervision of a firearm from as young as 10 or 12 years old.

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

Rapid-fire weapons were outlawed, and background checks alongside mandatory cooling-off periods for sales were introduced.

A key tenet of these reforms was the removal of "home security" as a valid reason for gun ownership.

Fresh Calls for Regulatory Tightening

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

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

Other planned reforms now under consideration include:

• Restricting the number of guns an individual can have registered.
• Addressing "indefinite" licensing arrangements.
• Making formal citizenship a prerequisite for firearm ownership.
• Enhancing intelligence sharing during vetting processes.

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

An Ongoing Controversy

These proposed changes have met with opposition from some quarters.

Pro-gun advocates contend that restricting ownership would not have averted an attack driven by radicalisation.

They suggest that political capital would be better spent improving intelligence rather than tightening regulations for the overwhelming number of licensed individuals.

Furthermore, a long-promised reform from 1996 – a national firearms register – remains not yet operational, though it has now been listed as a urgent task.

A Painful Reminder

For long-time advocates, the Bondi attack is a stark warning that gun laws must keep pace with new threats.

They argue that strengthening is needed to "remain effective" and protect public safety.

While mass shootings remain uncommon in Australia compared to some nations, the risk persists, and the ongoing issue of weapons being misused – through poor storage – continues to pose a problem.

As one advocate noted, "It's sad that it needs such a loss of life to get people to wake up and pay heed."