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In the aftermath of the horrific incident at Bondi, Australia is confronting several critical conversations. We are seeing a much-needed national focus on anti-Jewish sentiment, an persistent concern about national security, and questions about the way such an event could occur. However, from the perspective of a health professional and Australian Jew, the most important discussion we are now having centers on firearms.

A Decade of Cautions and a Proven Solution

Public health specialists have been sounding alarms about firearms for at least a decade. Following the events of the Port Arthur massacre, Australians came together and enacted a suite of reforms to curb gun violence across the country. The strategy succeeded. Prior to 1996, the nation experienced roughly one mass shooting per year. In the decades since, there have been vanishingly few significant tragedies, with none reaching the fatalities of the incidents in the 1980s and 1990s.

The Bondi Attack and the Function of Current Regulations

Even during the Bondi tragedy, the nation's gun laws were partially effective. It has been suggested the alleged attackers possessed with manually-operated long guns and a straight-pull shotgun. These firearms can only fire a single bullet at a time, requiring a manual operation to chamber the next round. Although these guns can be fired rapidly with devastating effect, they remain significantly less rapid and less efficient than the high-capacity, semi-automatic rifles frequently used in overseas mass shootings. The number of deaths at Bondi could have been much greater if different firearms had been available.

Stopping a future Bondi requires unity across all states. And unfortunately, we have already seen cracks in the united front.

Legislation Under Strain

However, the terrible consequences of the attack demonstrates that existing firearm regulations are failing. Designed in the late 1990s with the best of intentions, years have worn away their effectiveness. Concerningly, there are currently a greater number of guns in Australia than prior to the Port Arthur shooting, with some individuals in cities reportedly holding arsenals numbering in the hundreds.

The nation has grown overconfident and it has cost us terribly.

The Road Forward: Announced Changes

Since the Bondi attack, there have been numerous announcements regarding new gun laws. The state of NSW specifically will soon introduce a suite of measures to mitigate the collective risk from firearms. The federal government has proposed a new gun buyback, and there is potential for a national firearms registry, despite the complexities of aligning state and federal jurisdictions.

All of this are only possible provided that the nation works together. As stated, regarding firearm laws, the country is dependent on its weakest link. This is the reality of the Australian federation – regulations in one state are much less meaningful if they can be avoided with a short drive across a state line.

Addressing Common Arguments

There is the inevitable response that "guns don't kill people, people kill people". This is true in the same sense that aircraft do not fly passengers, aviators do. Yes, planes can't fly themselves, but it would be quite challenging for a captain to transport 500 people internationally without the plane. The horrific violence seen at Bondi would be extremely difficult without guns, and would have been far less damaging if the alleged terrorists had been denied access to the weapons they possessed.

Weighing Necessity and Safety

It is acknowledged there are valid needs for some Australians to possess guns. Farm work or controlling vermin in rural areas is extremely difficult without them. A total ban of firearms from the country is impractical, as in certain contexts they are indispensable.

What we can do – what we must do – is to guarantee that firearm legislation are modernized to better match the society we live in today. Australia's laws 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 once was. It is critical to learn from the tragedy of Bondi seriously, and ensure that coming Australians are as protected as past generations have been.

As one friend observed after the Bondi events, "things like this just don't happen here". This is true, but only because the country has made concerted efforts to keep itself safe. As nightmarish as the incident was, there is hope that it can serve as the final tragedy the nation experiences.