Australia had long been viewed as a global exemplar in gun control – the Bondi attack has laid bare a much murkier truth.

On a Sunday afternoon in 1996, a lone gunman using semi-automatic rifles murdered 35 people in the Australian tourist town of Port Arthur.

That massacre nearly three decades ago, which sparked some of the toughest firearm regulations in the world, can feel like a different era for many Australians.

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

Firearm Possession at a Record High

A analysis 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 about 20 years ago.

This means approximately one gun for every seven Australians.

While Queensland has the largest arsenal, followed by NSW and the state of Victoria, it is Tasmania and the Northern Territory that have the greatest density of weapons.

The data also challenges the widespread belief that guns are mostly possessed by rural residents.

Firearms are common in urban centres, with a significant portion located in major cities.

Critically, there are now weapons owned by a smaller group, with the registered individual possessing over four firearms.

Understanding Australia's Current Gun Laws?

Weapons legislation in Australia are varied 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 "responsible individual", pass a competency test, and provide a "valid purpose" for ownership.

The allowable purposes include sport shooting or animal management, target or sport shooting, certain occupational requirements, and as a hobby.

However, significant gaps remain. For instance, individuals under 18 in some areas can have access to a firearm from as young as pre-teen age.

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 mandatory cooling-off periods for sales were introduced.

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

Renewed Demands for Regulatory Tightening

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

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

Other suggested measures now under consideration include:

• Capping the number of guns an individual can possess.
• Ending "indefinite" licensing arrangements.
• Making formal citizenship a requirement for firearm ownership.
• Enhancing intelligence sharing during background check processes.

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

An Ongoing Controversy

These reform efforts have sparked debate from some quarters.

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

They suggest that focus would be better spent improving intelligence rather than changing laws for the overwhelming number of responsible owners.

Furthermore, a key proposed reform from 1996 – a centralised weapon tracking system – remains not yet operational, though it has now been listed as a priority.

A Catalyst for Change

For reformers, the Bondi attack is a stark warning that policies must be updated with changing times.

They argue that strengthening is needed to "keep up-to-date" and safeguard communities.

While mass shootings remain uncommon in Australia compared to some nations, the threat persists, and the ongoing issue of weapons being misused – through black markets – continues to pose a problem.

As one advocate noted, "It is regrettable that it takes such a loss of life to get people to wake up and pay heed."