Australia had long been viewed as a world leader in weapons legislation – the Bondi attack has laid bare a much murkier truth.

On a spring day in the year 1996, a lone gunman wielding semi-automatic rifles murdered 35 people in the Australian tourist town of Port Arthur.

That massacre nearly a generation ago, which sparked some of the toughest gun laws in the world, can seem like a different era for many Australians.

However, the tragedy in Bondi this past Sunday, which claimed 15 lives, 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 over four million privately-owned firearms across the country – a figure that is nearly twice the amount from about 20 years ago.

This means approximately one gun for every seven Australians.

While Queensland has the most registered guns, followed by NSW and Victoria, it is Tasmania and the Northern Territory that have the most guns per person.

The data also dispels the widespread belief that guns are mainly owned by rural residents.

Firearms are common in urban centres, with a large share located in population centres.

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

Understanding Australia's Present Firearm Regulations?

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

Generally, to secure a gun licence, an individual must be of legal age, deemed a "fit and proper person", pass a safety program, and provide a "legitimate need" for ownership.

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

However, significant shortcomings remain. For instance, young people in some states 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 voluntary hand-in of over 650,000 firearms.

Automatic and semi-automatic rifles were outlawed, and security screenings alongside delays 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 Firearm Policy Changes

In the wake the Bondi shooting, political leaders were forceful about the need to bolster gun laws.

A country-wide firearm surrender program was proposed, marking the most significant such effort since 1996.

Other planned reforms now under consideration include:

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

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

A Complicated Debate

These proposed changes have sparked debate from some quarters.

Pro-gun advocates argue that imposing caps would not have prevented an attack driven by radicalisation.

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

Furthermore, a critical reform from 1996 – a country-wide gun database – remains unfinished, though it has now been listed as a urgent task.

Tragedy as a Wake-Up Call

For campaigners, the Bondi attack is a stark warning that regulations must keep pace with technological advances.

They argue that modernisation is needed to "keep up-to-date" and protect public safety.

While mass shootings remain infrequent in Australia compared to some nations, the risk persists, and the challenge of firearms circulating illegally – through theft – continues to pose a challenge.

As one advocate noted, "It is regrettable that it takes such a devastating event to get people to wake up and listen."