Australia was widely regarded as a world leader in firearm regulation – the Bondi tragedy has laid bare a much murkier truth.

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

That horrific event nearly thirty years ago, which sparked some of the strictest gun laws in the world, can feel like a different era for many Australians.

However, the tragedy in Bondi this past Sunday, which claimed 15 lives, has rekindled memories of the 1996 shootings.

Gun Ownership at a Historic Peak

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

This equates to approximately one gun for every seven Australians.

While the state of Queensland has the largest arsenal, followed by New South Wales (NSW) and the state of Victoria, it is the island state and the Northern Territory that have the highest rate of firearm ownership.

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

Weapons are widespread in cities and their outskirts, with a sizable percentage located in urban hubs.

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

What Are Australia's Existing Weapons Policies?

Weapons legislation in Australia are varied across the country, with a patchwork implementation of rules in various regions.

Typically, to obtain a gun licence, an individual must be over 18, deemed a "responsible individual", pass a training and safety course, and provide a "valid purpose" for ownership.

The allowable purposes include sport shooting or animal management, target or sport shooting, certain professional duties, and collecting.

However, significant gaps remain. For instance, minors in some states can have supervision of a firearm from as young as pre-teen age.

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.

Certain types of firearms were prohibited, and security screenings alongside delays for sales were introduced.

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

Renewed Demands for Regulatory Tightening

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

A country-wide firearm surrender program was announced, marking the first such effort since 1996.

Other suggested measures now under consideration include:

• Limiting the number of guns an individual can have registered.
• 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 regular reviews of existing licence holders, acknowledging that "people's circumstances can change" over time.

An Ongoing Controversy

These swift actions have sparked debate from some quarters.

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

They suggest that focus would be better spent improving intelligence rather than tightening regulations for the vast majority of law-abiding citizens.

Furthermore, a long-promised reform from 1996 – a country-wide gun database – remains not yet operational, though it has now been listed as a priority.

Tragedy as a Wake-Up Call

For long-time advocates, the Bondi attack is a stark warning that regulations must evolve with new threats.

They argue that reform is needed to "address deficiencies" and protect public safety.

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

As one advocate reflected, "It's sad that it takes such a devastating event to prompt action and listen."