Australia had long been viewed as a world leader in gun control – the Bondi attack has revealed a much murkier truth.

On a Sunday afternoon in the year 1996, a lone gunman armed with semi-automatic rifles killed 35 people in the Tasmanian tourist destination of Port Arthur.

That national tragedy 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 tragedy in Bondi this past Sunday, which resulted in 15 fatalities, has revived the ghosts of the 1996 shootings.

Gun Ownership at a Historic Peak

A study released earlier this year revealed that there are now more than four million privately-owned firearms across the country – a figure that is roughly two times the amount from two decades prior.

This translates to approximately one gun for every seven Australians.

While the state of Queensland has the most registered guns, followed by New South Wales (NSW) and 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 primarily held by rural residents.

Weapons are widespread in urban centres, with a significant portion located in population centres.

Critically, there are now firearms concentrated among fewer owners, with the typical gun owner possessing several firearms.

Examining Australia's Existing Weapons Policies?

Gun control laws in Australia are inconsistent across the country, with a disparate implementation of rules between different jurisdictions.

Generally, to secure a gun licence, an individual must be over 18, deemed a "responsible individual", pass a training and safety course, and provide a "legitimate need" for ownership.

The accepted reasons include hunting or culling, competitive shooting, certain professional duties, and collecting.

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

Following the Port Arthur massacre, a comprehensive reform of national gun laws was enacted, leading to a voluntary hand-in of over 650,000 firearms.

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

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

New Push for Regulatory Tightening

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

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

Other proposals now under consideration include:

• Restricting the number of guns an individual can legally own.
• Ending "indefinite" licensing arrangements.
• Making permanent residency a condition for firearm ownership.
• Strengthening intelligence sharing during vetting processes.

There are also calls for regular reviews 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 averted an attack driven by radicalisation.

They suggest that focus would be better spent improving intelligence 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 unfinished, though it has now been listed as a key project.

A Painful Reminder

For reformers, the Bondi attack is a tragic indication that policies must be updated with new threats.

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

While mass shootings remain relatively rare in Australia compared to some nations, the risk persists, and the challenge of guns in the wrong hands – through poor storage – continues to pose a problem.

As one advocate noted, "It is unfortunate that it needs such a tragedy to get people to wake up and pay heed."