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In the aftermath of the horrific incident at Bondi, Australia is confronting several critical reckonings. There is a much-needed national spotlight on antisemitism, an ongoing worry about public safety, and inquiries about how such an event could happen. However, from the perspective of a public health expert and Australian Jew, the paramount dialogue we are now having revolves around firearms.

Ten Years of Cautions and a Successful Solution

Public health experts have been sounding alarms about guns for at least a decade. In the wake of the Port Arthur tragedy, Australians united and implemented a series of measures to curb gun violence across the country. The strategy succeeded. Before 1996, the nation experienced roughly one mass shooting per year. In the decades since, there have been vanishingly few significant tragedies, with none approaching the death toll of the shootings in the 1980s and 1990s.

This Recent Attack and the Role of Current Laws

Amidst the Bondi tragedy, the nation's gun laws were partially effective. It has been suggested the individuals involved might have been armed with bolt-action rifles and a straight-pull shotgun. These firearms are limited to firing a one round at a time, requiring a physical action to chamber the subsequent shot. While these guns are capable of being discharged rapidly with lethal results, they remain significantly less rapid and more cumbersome than the large-magazine, semi-automatic rifles frequently used in international attacks. The number of deaths at Bondi would've been far higher if different firearms had been accessible.

Preventing a future Bondi requires national cohesion. And unfortunately, there are already cracks in the facade.

A System Under Strain

Yet, the horrific toll of the attack reveals that current firearm regulations are failing. Crafted in the late 1990s with the noblest aims, years have eroded their efficacy. Alarmingly, there are now a greater number of guns in Australia than prior to the Port Arthur shooting, with some individuals in urban areas reportedly holding arsenals numbering in the hundreds.

The nation has grown overconfident and it has cost us terribly.

The Path Ahead: Proposed Changes

In the time after the Bondi tragedy, there have been numerous announcements regarding new gun laws. New South Wales in particular will soon enact a suite of reforms to reduce the collective risk from firearms. The national government has announced a new gun buyback, and there is hope for a countrywide gun database, notwithstanding the inherent challenges of coordinating state and federal jurisdictions.

These measures are feasible provided that 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 system – laws in one state are much less meaningful if they can be bypassed with a short drive across a state line.

Countering Frequent Objections

There is the predictable argument that "guns don't kill people, individuals are". This is true in the identical way that planes don't transport people, pilots do. Yes, aircraft require operators, but it would be quite challenging for a pilot to move 500 people overseas without the plane. The mass slaughter witnessed at Bondi would be extremely difficult without firearms, and would have been significantly less lethal if the accused individuals had been denied access to the firearms they used.

Balancing Necessity and Security

It is acknowledged there are legitimate reasons for some Australians to possess firearms. Managing livestock or culling pests in rural areas is incredibly hard without them. A total ban 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 gun laws are modernized to accurately reflect the world we live in today. Australia's legislation have historically been the envy of the world, but the passage of years has done its work and the nation is less secure as it previously was. It is critical to learn from the tragedy of Bondi seriously, and make certain that future generations are as protected as past generations have been.

As one commentator observed after the Bondi events, "such tragedies just don't happen here". This is true, but only because the country has collectively worked to maintain its security. However horrific as the incident was, there is hope that it can become the last one the nation experiences.