Australia was long seen as a international standard-bearer in firearm regulation – the Bondi tragedy has laid bare a much murkier situation.

On a Sunday afternoon in 1996, a lone gunman wielding powerful firearms took the lives of 35 people in the Tasmanian tourist destination of Port Arthur.

That national tragedy nearly three decades ago, which led to some of the strictest weapons policies in the world, can appear as a different era for many citizens.

However, the tragedy in Bondi this past Sunday, which left 15 dead, has brought back painful recollections of the 1996 shootings.

Gun Ownership at a Record High

A recent report revealed that there are now in excess of four million weapons owned by civilians across the country – a figure that is nearly twice the amount from about 20 years ago.

This equates to approximately one gun for every seven Australians.

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

The data also dispels the popular notion that guns are mainly owned by rural residents.

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

Critically, there are now weapons owned by a smaller group, with the typical gun owner possessing more than four firearms.

What Are Australia's Existing Weapons Policies?

Gun control laws in Australia are inconsistent across the country, with a patchwork implementation of rules across states and territories.

Typically, to obtain a gun licence, an individual must be an adult, deemed a "fit and proper person", pass a training and safety course, and provide a "valid purpose" for ownership.

The allowable purposes include hunting or culling, target or sport shooting, certain professional duties, and for collections.

However, significant loopholes remain. For instance, individuals under 18 in some states can have supervision of a firearm from as young as 10 or 12 years old.

Following the Port Arthur massacre, a major rewrite 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 vetting procedures alongside waiting periods for sales were introduced.

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

New Push for Regulatory Tightening

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

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

Other planned reforms now under consideration include:

• Restricting the number of guns an individual can possess.
• Addressing "indefinite" licensing arrangements.
• Making Australian citizenship a condition for firearm ownership.
• Enhancing intelligence sharing during background check processes.

There are also calls for periodic reassessments of existing licence holders, acknowledging that "individuals can be radicalised" over time.

A Nuanced Discussion

These proposed changes have met with opposition from some quarters.

Pro-gun advocates argue that restricting ownership would not have averted an attack driven by violent beliefs.

They suggest that focus would be better spent improving intelligence rather than restricting lawful owners for the overwhelming number of licensed individuals.

Furthermore, a critical reform from 1996 – a national firearms register – remains incomplete, though it has now been listed as a urgent task.

Tragedy as a Wake-Up Call

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

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

While mass shootings remain infrequent in Australia compared to some nations, the potential persists, and the ongoing issue of firearms circulating illegally – through black markets – continues to pose a challenge.

As one advocate noted, "It is unfortunate that it needs such a loss of life to prompt action and pay heed."