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Following the tragedy of the horrific incident at Bondi, Australia is confronting multiple critical reckonings. There is a much-needed national spotlight on antisemitism, an ongoing concern about national security, and inquiries about how such an event could occur. But, as viewed of a public health expert and Jewish Australian, the paramount dialogue we are finally having revolves around firearms.

A Decade of Cautions and a Proven Response

Health experts have been sounding alarms about guns for at least a decade. Following the events of the Port Arthur tragedy, Australians came together and implemented a series of reforms to reduce gun violence across the country. The strategy succeeded. Before 1996, the nation witnessed roughly one large-scale firearm incident per year. Over the following years, there have been extremely rare significant tragedies, with none approaching the fatalities of the incidents in the 1980s and 1990s.

The Bondi Tragedy and the Role of Existing Regulations

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 a straight-pull shotgun. These weapons are limited to firing a one round at a time, requiring a physical action to chamber the next round. While these guns are capable of being discharged quite quickly with lethal results, they remain significantly less rapid and less efficient than the large-magazine, semi-automatic rifles frequently used in overseas attacks. The casualty count at Bondi would've been far higher if different weapons had been accessible.

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

A System Showing Weakness

However, the horrific toll of the incident demonstrates that existing firearm regulations are failing. Designed in the late 1990s with the best of intentions, decades have worn away their efficacy. Concerningly, there are now a greater number of guns in Australia than prior to the Port Arthur shooting, with some individuals in urban areas owning arsenals numbering in the hundreds.

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

The Road Forward: Announced Changes

Since the Bondi tragedy, there have been numerous declarations regarding new firearm legislation. The state of NSW in particular will soon enact a package of reforms to reduce the collective risk posed by firearms. The national government has proposed a new gun buyback, and there is potential for a countrywide gun database, notwithstanding the inherent challenges of aligning state and federal governments.

These measures are feasible provided that the nation works together. As noted, regarding gun control, the country is dependent on its least stringent jurisdiction. This is the very nature 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.

Countering Common Objections

There is the predictable response that "firearms are not the killers, people kill people". This is true 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 captain to move 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 alleged terrorists had not had access to the weapons they possessed.

Balancing Need and Security

It is acknowledged there are valid needs for some Australians to possess firearms. 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 certain contexts they are indispensable.

What we can do – what we must do – is to guarantee that firearm legislation are updated to better match the world we live in today. Australia's laws have historically been the envy of the world, but time and distance has taken a toll and the nation is less secure as it once was. It is vital to learn from the tragedy of Bondi to heart, and make certain that coming Australians are equally safe as previous generations have been.

A commentator remarked after the Bondi events, "such tragedies just don't happen here". This is true, 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 ever sees.