Australia was long seen as a world leader in gun control – the Bondi tragedy has laid bare a more complicated reality.

On a spring day in the year 1996, a lone gunman armed with rapid-fire weapons murdered 35 people in the Tasmanian tourist destination of Port Arthur.

That horrific event nearly a generation ago, which sparked some of the most stringent gun laws in the world, can feel like a different era for many residents.

However, the Bondi Beach attack this past Sunday, which left 15 dead, has revived the ghosts of the 1996 shootings.

Firearm Possession at a Record High

A recent report revealed that there are now in excess of four million guns in private hands 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 highest number of legal firearms, followed by NSW and Victoria, it is the island state and the NT that have the most guns per person.

The data also dispels the widespread belief that guns are mostly possessed by people in regional areas.

Weapons are common in urban centres, with a significant portion located in population centres.

Critically, there are now firearms concentrated among fewer owners, with the average licence holder possessing several firearms.

What Are Australia's Current Gun Laws?

Firearm regulations in Australia are varied across the country, with a disparate implementation of rules in various regions.

Typically, to secure a gun licence, an individual must be of legal age, deemed a "fit and proper person", pass a training and safety course, and provide a "genuine reason" for ownership.

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

However, significant gaps remain. For instance, minors in some states can have use 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 massive buyback of over 650,000 firearms.

Automatic and semi-automatic rifles were banned, and background checks alongside delays for sales were introduced.

A key tenet of these reforms was the rejection of "self-defence" as a justifiable cause for gun ownership.

Fresh Calls for Firearm Policy Changes

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

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

Other planned reforms now under consideration include:

• Limiting the number of guns an individual can legally own.
• Ending "perpetual" licensing arrangements.
• Making formal citizenship a condition for firearm ownership.
• Strengthening intelligence sharing during vetting processes.

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

A Nuanced Discussion

These proposed changes have drawn criticism from some quarters.

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

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

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

A Catalyst for Change

For reformers, the Bondi attack is a horrific reminder that regulations must evolve with changing times.

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

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

As one advocate noted, "It's sad that it needs such a tragedy to get people to wake up and pay heed."