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Following the tragedy of the horrific incident at Bondi, Australia is facing several critical conversations. We are seeing a long-overdue national focus on antisemitism, an ongoing concern about national security, and inquiries about the way such an event could occur. But, as viewed of a public health expert and Australian Jew, the most important discussion we are now having revolves around firearms.

Ten Years of Cautions and a Successful Solution

Health specialists have been sounding alarms about guns for at least a ten-year period. Following the events of the Port Arthur tragedy, Australians united and implemented a suite of reforms to curb gun violence across the country. The strategy succeeded. Before 1996, the nation witnessed approximately one mass shooting per year. In the decades since, there have been extremely rare major events, with none reaching the fatalities of the shootings in the 1980s and 1990s.

The Bondi Tragedy and the Role of Current Laws

Amidst the Bondi tragedy, the nation's gun laws were partially effective. Reports indicate the alleged attackers might have been armed with bolt-action rifles and at least one straight-pull shotgun. These weapons are limited to firing a single bullet at a time, necessitating a physical action to chamber the subsequent shot. Although these guns can be fired rapidly with lethal results, they remain far slower and more cumbersome than the large-magazine, self-loading rifles frequently used in international mass shootings. The number of deaths at Bondi could have been much greater if different firearms had been available.

Stopping a future Bondi demands national cohesion. Regrettably, there are already fissures in the united front.

A System Under Strain

Yet, the horrific toll of the attack demonstrates that current firearm regulations are failing. Designed in the late 1990s with the best of intentions, decades have worn away their efficacy. Alarmingly, there are now more firearms in Australia than before the Port Arthur massacre, with some citizens in cities reportedly holding collections numbering in the hundreds.

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

The Road Ahead: Proposed Reforms

Since the Bondi tragedy, there have been numerous declarations regarding strengthened firearm legislation. The state of NSW specifically will soon introduce a package of reforms to reduce the public danger from firearms. The federal government has proposed a fresh gun buyback, and there is hope for a national firearms registry, notwithstanding the complexities of coordinating state and federal jurisdictions.

These measures are feasible provided that the nation acts in unison. As noted, regarding firearm laws, the country is only as strong as its weakest link. This is the reality of the Australian federation – laws in one state are much less meaningful if they can be avoided with a short drive across a state line.

Addressing Frequent Arguments

There is the predictable argument that "firearms are not the killers, people kill people". This is accurate in the same sense that aircraft do not fly passengers, pilots do. Yes, planes can't fly themselves, but it would be virtually impossible for a pilot to move 500 people overseas without the plane. The mass slaughter seen at Bondi would be extremely difficult without guns, and would have been far less damaging if the accused individuals had not had access to the firearms they possessed.

Weighing Necessity and Safety

It is acknowledged there are valid reasons for some Australians to own firearms. Managing livestock or controlling vermin in many places is extremely difficult without them. A complete removal of guns from the country is impractical, as in certain contexts they are indispensable.

The achievable goal – what we must do – is to ensure that firearm legislation are modernized to better match the society we live in today. Australia's laws have long been the admiration of the world, but time and distance has taken a toll and the nation is less secure as it once was. It is critical to take the lessons of Bondi to heart, and make certain that coming Australians are equally safe as past generations have been.

A commentator remarked after the Bondi attack, "things like this just don't happen here". This is true, but only because the country has made concerted efforts to keep itself safe. However horrific as the incident was, there is hope that it can serve as the final tragedy the nation ever sees.