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In the aftermath of the awful incident at Bondi, Australia is facing multiple pressing reckonings. We are seeing a much-needed national spotlight on antisemitism, an ongoing worry about public safety, and questions about how such an tragedy could occur. However, as viewed of a health professional and Jewish Australian, the paramount dialogue we are finally having revolves around firearms.

A Decade of Cautions and a Proven Solution

Health specialists have been issuing warnings about guns for at least a decade. In the wake of the Port Arthur massacre, Australians united and implemented a series of reforms to curb gun violence across the country. The strategy succeeded. Prior to 1996, the nation witnessed roughly one mass shooting per year. Over the following years, there have been vanishingly few major events, with none reaching the fatalities of the shootings in the 1980s and 1990s.

The Bondi Tragedy and the Role of Existing Regulations

Amidst the Bondi tragedy, the nation's gun laws 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 single bullet at a time, necessitating a physical action to chamber the next round. Although these guns can be fired rapidly with lethal results, they remain significantly less rapid and less efficient than the high-capacity, semi-automatic rifles commonplace in international mass shootings. The number of deaths at Bondi would've been far higher if more advanced firearms had been available.

Stopping another Bondi demands unity across all states. Regrettably, there are already cracks in the facade.

A System Under Strain

However, the terrible toll of the attack reveals that existing firearm regulations are failing. Crafted in the late 1990s with the noblest aims, years have eroded their effectiveness. Alarmingly, there are currently a greater number of guns in Australia than before the Port Arthur massacre, with some individuals in urban areas reportedly holding collections numbering in the hundreds.

We have been complacent and it has exacted a terrible price.

The Road Forward: Proposed Reforms

In the time after the Bondi tragedy, there have been numerous announcements regarding strengthened gun laws. The state of NSW specifically will shortly introduce a package of reforms to reduce the collective risk from firearms. The national government has proposed a new firearm surrender scheme, and there is potential for a national firearms registry, notwithstanding the complexities of aligning state and federal governments.

All of this are only possible if the nation works together. As noted, regarding firearm laws, the country is dependent on its least stringent jurisdiction. This is the very nature of the Australian system – regulations in one state are easily circumvented if they can be bypassed with a short drive across a border.

Addressing Frequent Objections

We hear the predictable argument that "firearms are not the killers, people kill people". This is true in the identical way that aircraft do not fly passengers, pilots do. Certainly, planes can't fly themselves, but it would be quite challenging for a captain to transport 500 people internationally without the plane. The mass slaughter seen at Bondi would be all but impossible without guns, and would have been far less damaging if the accused individuals had been denied access to the firearms they used.

Weighing Need and Safety

There are valid reasons for some Australians to own guns. Managing livestock or culling pests in rural areas is extremely difficult without them. A total ban of guns from the country is not feasible, as in some cases they are essential tools.

The achievable goal – the imperative action – is to ensure that firearm legislation are updated to better match the world we live in today. Australia's legislation have historically been the admiration of the world, but the passage of years has done its work and the nation is less secure as it previously was. It is critical to learn from the tragedy of Bondi to heart, and make certain that coming Australians are as protected as previous generations have been.

A friend remarked after the Bondi events, "things like this just don't happen here". This is true, but only because the country has collectively worked to keep itself safe. However horrific as the attack was, there is hope that it can serve as the final tragedy the nation experiences.