The nation's Firearm Legislation: An International Example That Must Endure, Particularly After Bondi

Following the tragedy of the horrific incident at Bondi, Australia is confronting several critical reckonings. There is a much-needed national focus on antisemitism, an ongoing worry about national security, and inquiries about how such an tragedy could occur. But, from the perspective of a health professional and Australian Jew, the most important dialogue we are finally having revolves around firearms.

Ten Years of Warnings and a Proven Response

Health experts have been sounding alarms about firearms for a minimum of a ten-year period. In the wake of the Port Arthur tragedy, Australians united and implemented a suite of measures to reduce gun violence nationwide. The strategy succeeded. Before 1996, the nation witnessed roughly one mass shooting per year. In the decades since, there have been extremely rare major events, with none approaching the fatalities of the shootings in the 1980s and 1990s.

The Bondi Tragedy and the Role of Current Laws

Amidst the Bondi events, the nation's gun laws were not entirely useless. Reports indicate the individuals involved might have been armed with bolt-action rifles and a straight-pull shotgun. These weapons can only fire a one round at a time, requiring a manual operation to chamber the subsequent shot. Although these guns can be fired quite quickly with devastating effect, they remain far slower and more cumbersome than the large-magazine, self-loading rifles frequently used in overseas attacks. The casualty count at Bondi could have been much greater if more advanced firearms had been available.

Preventing a future Bondi requires unity across all states. And unfortunately, we have already seen cracks in the facade.

Legislation Showing Weakness

However, the horrific toll of the incident reveals that existing firearm regulations are failing. Designed in the late 1990s with the noblest aims, decades have eroded their effectiveness. Concerningly, there are now more firearms in Australia than prior to the Port Arthur massacre, with some individuals in urban areas owning collections of hundreds of weapons.

The nation has grown overconfident and it has exacted a terrible price.

The Road Forward: Proposed Changes

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

All of this are only possible if the nation acts in unison. As noted, when it comes to firearm laws, the country is only as strong as its weakest link. This is the very nature of the Australian federation – regulations in one state are much less meaningful if they can be avoided with a short drive across a border.

Addressing Frequent Objections

We hear the predictable argument that "guns don't kill people, individuals are". This is accurate in the same sense that planes don't transport people, aviators do. Yes, aircraft require operators, but it would be quite challenging for a pilot to transport 500 people overseas without the plane. The mass slaughter witnessed at Bondi would be all but impossible without firearms, and would have been significantly less lethal if the accused individuals had been denied access to the firearms they used.

Weighing Necessity and Security

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

The achievable goal – what we must do – is to ensure that firearm legislation are updated to accurately reflect the world we live in today. Australia's laws have historically been the envy of the world, but the passage of years has done its work and the nation is no longer as safe as it once was. It is vital to take the lessons of Bondi seriously, and make certain that future generations are equally safe as previous generations have been.

As one commentator remarked after the Bondi attack, "things like this just don't happen here". This is true, but solely due to the fact that the country has made concerted efforts to maintain its security. As nightmarish as the attack was, there is hope that it can serve as the final tragedy the nation ever sees.