The nation's Firearm Laws: An International Example That Must Persist, Particularly After Bondi

Following the tragedy of the awful attack at Bondi, Australia is confronting multiple pressing reckonings. There is a much-needed national focus on antisemitism, an persistent concern about national security, and questions about the way such an tragedy could occur. But, from the perspective of a public health expert and Australian Jew, the paramount dialogue we are finally having revolves around firearms.

Ten Years of Cautions and a Successful Response

Health experts have been issuing warnings about firearms for a minimum of a decade. Following the events of the Port Arthur tragedy, Australians united and implemented a suite of reforms to reduce gun violence across the country. The strategy succeeded. Before 1996, the nation experienced approximately one mass shooting per year. In the decades since, there have been vanishingly few major events, with none approaching the fatalities of the incidents in the 1980s and 1990s.

The Bondi Tragedy and the Function of Existing Laws

Amidst the Bondi tragedy, the nation's firearm regulations were not entirely useless. It has been suggested the individuals involved possessed with bolt-action rifles and at least one straight-pull shotgun. These firearms can only fire a one round at a time, requiring a manual operation to ready the next round. Although these guns can be fired rapidly with devastating effect, they remain significantly less rapid and more cumbersome than the large-magazine, semi-automatic rifles frequently used in overseas mass shootings. The casualty count at Bondi would've been far higher if different weapons had been available.

Stopping a future Bondi requires national cohesion. Regrettably, we have already seen fissures in the facade.

A System Showing Weakness

However, the horrific consequences of the incident demonstrates that existing firearm regulations are inadequate. Crafted in the late 1990s with the best of intentions, years have eroded their effectiveness. Concerningly, there are currently more firearms in Australia than prior to the Port Arthur massacre, with some individuals in cities owning collections numbering in the hundreds.

We have been overconfident and it has cost us terribly.

The Path Ahead: Proposed Changes

Since the Bondi tragedy, there have been numerous declarations regarding strengthened firearm legislation. New South Wales specifically will shortly introduce a suite of reforms to reduce the public danger posed by firearms. The national government has announced a fresh gun buyback, and there is hope for a countrywide gun database, notwithstanding the complexities of coordinating state and federal governments.

All of this are feasible if the nation acts in unison. As stated, when it comes to gun control, the country is dependent on its least stringent jurisdiction. This is the reality of the Australian federation – laws in one state are much less meaningful if they can be bypassed with a short drive across a border.

Countering Common Arguments

We hear the predictable argument that "firearms are not the killers, individuals are". This is accurate in the identical way that planes don't transport people, aviators do. Certainly, planes can't fly themselves, but it would be virtually impossible for a captain to transport 500 people internationally without the plane. The horrific violence witnessed at Bondi would be all but impossible without firearms, and would have been far less damaging if the accused individuals had not had access to the weapons they used.

Balancing Need and Security

There are valid reasons for some Australians to own guns. Farm work or controlling vermin in rural areas is extremely difficult without them. A complete removal of guns from the country is impractical, as in certain contexts they are essential tools.

The achievable goal – the imperative action – is to ensure that gun laws are updated to better match the society we live in today. Australia's legislation have long been the envy of the world, but the passage of years has taken a toll and the nation is no longer as safe as it previously was. It is critical to take the lessons of Bondi to heart, and ensure that coming Australians are equally safe as previous generations have been.

A friend observed after the Bondi events, "things like this just don't happen here". They don't, but only because the country has made concerted efforts to maintain its security. As nightmarish as the attack was, there is hope that it can become the last one the nation experiences.