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Following the tragedy of the horrific incident at Bondi, Australia is confronting several pressing reckonings. We are seeing a much-needed national focus on antisemitism, an ongoing worry about public safety, and questions about how such an tragedy could occur. But, as viewed of a public health expert and Jewish Australian, the most important dialogue we are now having revolves around firearms.

A Decade of Cautions and a Proven Response

Public health specialists have been sounding alarms about firearms for at least a decade. Following the events of the Port Arthur tragedy, Australians came together and implemented a series of measures to reduce gun violence nationwide. The strategy succeeded. Before 1996, the nation experienced roughly one mass shooting per year. In the decades since, there have been extremely rare major events, with none approaching the death toll of the incidents in the 1980s and 1990s.

The Bondi Tragedy and the Function of Existing Regulations

Amidst the Bondi tragedy, the nation's firearm regulations were not entirely useless. It has been suggested the alleged attackers possessed with manually-operated long guns and at least one straight-pull shotgun. These firearms are limited to firing a one round at a time, necessitating a manual operation to chamber the subsequent shot. Although these guns can be fired rapidly with lethal results, they remain far slower and more cumbersome than the high-capacity, self-loading rifles frequently used in overseas mass shootings. The casualty count at Bondi could have been much greater if different firearms had been available.

Stopping another Bondi requires national cohesion. Regrettably, there are already fissures in the united front.

Legislation Showing Weakness

However, the terrible toll of the attack demonstrates that existing firearm regulations are inadequate. Crafted in the late 1990s with the best of intentions, decades have worn away their efficacy. Concerningly, there are now more firearms in Australia than before the Port Arthur shooting, with some citizens in urban areas reportedly holding arsenals of hundreds of weapons.

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

The Path Ahead: Announced Reforms

In the time after the Bondi attack, there have been numerous declarations regarding strengthened gun laws. New South Wales specifically will soon introduce a suite of measures to reduce the collective risk posed by firearms. The federal government has proposed a new gun buyback, and there is potential for a national firearms registry, notwithstanding the inherent challenges of aligning state and federal governments.

These measures are only possible if the nation works together. As stated, regarding firearm laws, the country is only as strong as 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 bypassed with a short drive across a state line.

Countering Common Arguments

There is the predictable argument that "guns don't kill people, people kill people". This is true in the same sense that aircraft do not fly passengers, pilots do. Certainly, aircraft require operators, but it would be virtually impossible for a pilot to move 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 accused individuals had not had access to the firearms they possessed.

Weighing Necessity and Safety

There are legitimate needs for some Australians to own guns. Farm work or controlling vermin in rural areas is incredibly hard without them. A complete removal of firearms from the country is not feasible, as in certain contexts they are essential tools.

What we can do – the imperative action – is to guarantee that firearm legislation are modernized to better match the world we live in today. Australia's laws have long been the envy of the world, but the passage of years has done its work and the nation is no longer as safe as it previously was. It is vital to learn from the tragedy of Bondi to heart, and ensure that coming Australians are as protected as previous generations have been.

As one friend observed after the Bondi attack, "such tragedies just don't happen here". This is true, but solely due to the fact that the country has collectively worked to keep itself safe. However horrific as the incident was, there is an aspiration that it can serve as the last one the nation ever sees.