Australia was long seen as a international standard-bearer in firearm regulation – the Bondi attack has revealed a much murkier reality.

On a weekend day in 1996, a solitary shooter armed with powerful firearms killed 35 people in the historic site of Port Arthur.

That massacre nearly three decades ago, which led to some of the strictest gun laws in the world, can appear as a different era for many Australians.

However, the shooting at Bondi this past Sunday, which left 15 dead, has revived the ghosts of the Port Arthur massacre.

Firearm Possession at a Unprecedented Level

A analysis revealed that there are now over four million guns in private hands across the country – a figure that is almost double the amount from about 20 years ago.

This translates to approximately one firearm per seven citizens.

While Queensland has the largest arsenal, followed by New South Wales (NSW) and Victoria, it is the island state and the NT that have the most guns per person.

The data also dispels the popular notion that guns are primarily held by rural residents.

Weapons are prevalent in cities and their outskirts, with a sizable percentage located in population centres.

Critically, there are now more guns in fewer hands, with the registered individual possessing over four firearms.

What Are Australia's Current Gun Laws?

Firearm regulations in Australia are not uniform across the country, with a patchwork implementation of rules across states and territories.

Broadly speaking, to apply for a gun licence, an individual must be over 18, deemed a "suitable candidate", pass a training and safety course, and provide a "legitimate need" for ownership.

The allowable purposes include hunting or culling, target or sport shooting, certain job-related needs, and collecting.

However, significant loopholes remain. For instance, individuals under 18 in some states can have access to 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 massive buyback of over 650,000 firearms.

Automatic and semi-automatic rifles were banned, and security screenings alongside mandatory cooling-off periods for sales were introduced.

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

Fresh Calls for Regulatory Tightening

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

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

Other suggested measures now under consideration include:

• Limiting the number of guns an individual can legally own.
• Ending "perpetual" licensing arrangements.
• Making Australian citizenship a requirement 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 sparked debate from some quarters.

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

They suggest that political capital would be better spent combating radicalisation rather than changing laws for the vast majority of licensed individuals.

Furthermore, a long-promised reform from 1996 – a country-wide gun database – remains incomplete, though it has now been listed as a key project.

A Painful Reminder

For long-time advocates, the Bondi attack is a tragic indication that gun laws must keep pace with technological advances.

They argue that reform is needed to "remain effective" and prevent future tragedies.

While mass shootings remain infrequent in Australia compared to some nations, the threat persists, and the legacy of weapons being misused – through poor storage – continues to pose a danger.

As one advocate noted, "It's sad that it takes such a devastating event to focus attention and pay heed."