Australia was widely regarded as a international standard-bearer in weapons legislation – the Bondi attack has revealed a more complicated situation.

On a Sunday afternoon in 1996, a solitary shooter armed with rapid-fire weapons murdered 35 people in the Tasmanian tourist destination of Port Arthur.

That horrific event nearly three decades ago, which ushered in some of the strictest gun laws in the world, can appear as a bygone age for many citizens.

However, the shooting at Bondi this past Sunday, which left 15 dead, has brought back painful recollections of the Tasmanian tragedy.

Firearm Possession at a Historic Peak

A study released earlier this year revealed that there are now over four million privately-owned firearms across the country – a figure that is roughly two times the amount from the late 1990s.

This means 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 widespread belief that guns are primarily held by people in regional areas.

Firearms are prevalent in urban centres, with a significant portion located in population centres.

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

Understanding Australia's Current Gun Laws?

Firearm regulations in Australia are not uniform across the country, with a mixed implementation of rules between different jurisdictions.

Typically, to obtain a gun licence, an individual must be of legal age, deemed a "responsible individual", pass a safety program, and provide a "legitimate need" for ownership.

The allowable purposes include sport shooting or animal management, target or sport shooting, certain occupational requirements, and collecting.

However, significant loopholes remain. For instance, young people in some areas can have supervision 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 large-scale surrender scheme of over 650,000 firearms.

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

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

New Push for Gun Law Reform

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

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

Other suggested measures now under consideration include:

• Restricting the number of guns an individual can possess.
• Ending "open-ended" licensing arrangements.
• Making permanent residency a prerequisite for firearm ownership.
• Enhancing intelligence sharing during background check processes.

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

An Ongoing Controversy

These reform efforts have drawn criticism from some quarters.

Pro-gun advocates maintain that limiting gun numbers would not have stopped an attack driven by radicalisation.

They suggest that political capital would be better spent addressing root causes rather than changing laws for the overwhelming number of law-abiding citizens.

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

A Painful Reminder

For long-time advocates, the Bondi attack is a stark warning that gun laws must evolve with changing times.

They argue that reform is needed to "address deficiencies" and prevent future tragedies.

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

As one advocate noted, "It's sad that it takes such a tragedy to prompt action and pay heed."