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In the aftermath of the horrific attack at Bondi, Australia is facing several critical reckonings. We are seeing a long-overdue national spotlight on antisemitism, an persistent worry about national security, and inquiries about the way such an tragedy could occur. However, from the perspective of a public health expert and Australian Jew, the most important dialogue we are now having revolves around firearms.

A Decade of Warnings and a Successful Solution

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 enacted a suite of measures to reduce gun violence across the country. The strategy succeeded. Before 1996, the nation witnessed roughly one large-scale firearm incident per year. In the decades since, there have been vanishingly few major events, with none approaching the death toll of the shootings in the 1980s and 1990s.

This Recent Tragedy and the Function of Current Regulations

Even during the Bondi events, the nation's gun laws were not entirely useless. Reports indicate the individuals involved might have been armed with bolt-action rifles and at least one straight-pull shotgun. These firearms are limited to firing a one round at a time, requiring a physical action to ready the subsequent shot. Although these guns can be fired rapidly with lethal results, they remain significantly less rapid and less efficient than the large-magazine, self-loading rifles commonplace in international attacks. The number of deaths at Bondi would've been far higher if different weapons had been accessible.

Stopping a future Bondi demands national cohesion. Regrettably, we have already seen fissures in the united front.

A System Showing Weakness

Yet, the terrible toll of the incident reveals that current firearm regulations are failing. Crafted in the late 1990s with the noblest aims, years have worn away their efficacy. Concerningly, there are now more firearms in Australia than prior to the Port Arthur shooting, with some citizens in urban areas owning collections numbering in the hundreds.

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

The Path Ahead: Announced Changes

Since the Bondi attack, there have been numerous declarations regarding new gun laws. The state of NSW in particular will shortly enact a package of reforms to reduce the collective risk posed by firearms. The federal government has proposed a new firearm surrender scheme, and there is potential for a national firearms registry, notwithstanding the inherent challenges of coordinating state and federal jurisdictions.

These measures are feasible if the nation works together. As noted, when it comes to gun control, 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 easily circumvented if they can be bypassed with a journey across a border.

Addressing Frequent Objections

There is the inevitable response that "guns don't kill people, individuals are". 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 quite challenging for a captain to move 500 people internationally without the plane. The horrific violence witnessed at Bondi would be extremely difficult without firearms, and would have been significantly less lethal if the accused individuals had not had access to the weapons they possessed.

Weighing Necessity and Security

It is acknowledged there are valid reasons for some Australians to possess firearms. Managing livestock or controlling vermin in rural areas is extremely difficult without them. A total ban of firearms from the country is impractical, as in certain contexts they are indispensable.

What we can do – the imperative action – is to ensure that gun laws are updated to accurately reflect the society 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 previously was. It is vital to learn from the tragedy of Bondi seriously, and ensure that coming Australians are as protected as past generations have been.

A commentator remarked after the Bondi events, "things like this just don't happen here". This is true, but solely due to the fact that the country has made concerted efforts to keep itself safe. However horrific as the attack was, there is hope that it can serve as the last one the nation experiences.