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Following the tragedy of the awful incident at Bondi, Australia is confronting several critical reckonings. There is a long-overdue national spotlight on antisemitism, an persistent concern about national security, and inquiries about how such an tragedy could occur. But, as viewed of a public health expert and Australian Jew, the paramount discussion we are finally having revolves around firearms.

Ten Years of Cautions and a Successful Response

Health experts have been issuing warnings about firearms for a minimum of a ten-year period. In the wake of the Port Arthur massacre, Australians united and implemented a suite of reforms to reduce gun violence across the country. The strategy succeeded. Before 1996, the nation witnessed approximately one large-scale firearm incident per year. In the decades since, there have been vanishingly few significant tragedies, with none reaching the fatalities of the shootings in the 1980s and 1990s.

This Recent Tragedy and the Role of Current Laws

Amidst the Bondi events, the nation's firearm regulations were partially effective. Reports indicate the alleged attackers might have been armed with bolt-action rifles and at least one straight-pull shotgun. These firearms can only fire a one round at a time, requiring a manual operation to chamber the subsequent shot. While these guns can be fired quite quickly with lethal results, they remain far slower and more cumbersome than the high-capacity, semi-automatic rifles frequently used in international attacks. The number of deaths at Bondi would've been far higher 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 united front.

A System Showing Weakness

Yet, the horrific toll of the attack reveals that current gun laws are failing. Crafted in the late 1990s with the noblest aims, decades have eroded their effectiveness. Concerningly, there are now a greater number of guns in Australia than prior to the Port Arthur massacre, with some citizens in urban areas owning collections numbering in the hundreds.

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

The Road Ahead: Proposed Reforms

Since the Bondi attack, there have been numerous announcements regarding new gun laws. New South Wales specifically will soon introduce a suite of reforms to reduce the collective risk from firearms. The national government has proposed a fresh firearm surrender scheme, and there is potential for a countrywide gun database, notwithstanding the complexities of coordinating state and federal jurisdictions.

These measures are only possible if the nation acts in unison. As stated, regarding gun control, the country is dependent on its least stringent jurisdiction. This is the reality of the Australian system – 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 response that "guns don't kill people, people kill people". This is true in the same sense that planes don't transport people, aviators do. Certainly, aircraft require operators, but it would be quite challenging for a pilot to move 500 people internationally without the aircraft. The mass slaughter seen at Bondi would be all but impossible without firearms, and would have been far less damaging if the alleged terrorists had not had access to the weapons they used.

Balancing Need and Safety

It is acknowledged there are legitimate needs for some Australians to own guns. Managing livestock or controlling vermin in rural areas is extremely difficult without them. A complete removal of firearms from the country is impractical, as in some cases they are indispensable.

What we can do – the imperative action – is to guarantee 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 the passage of years has taken a toll and the nation is less secure as it previously was. It is critical to take the lessons of Bondi to heart, and ensure that coming Australians are as protected as previous generations have been.

A friend remarked after the Bondi events, "such tragedies just don't happen here". They don't, but only because the country has collectively worked to maintain its security. As nightmarish as the incident was, there is hope that it can serve as the last one the nation experiences.