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In the aftermath of the horrific incident at Bondi, Australia is confronting several critical reckonings. There is a long-overdue national spotlight on antisemitism, an ongoing worry about national security, and inquiries about the way such an event could occur. However, from the perspective of a health professional and Australian Jew, the paramount dialogue we are finally having revolves around firearms.

Ten Years of Warnings and a Proven Response

Public health specialists have been sounding alarms about guns for at least a ten-year period. In the wake of the Port Arthur tragedy, Australians came together and implemented a suite of reforms to curb gun violence across the country. And it worked. Before 1996, the nation experienced roughly one mass shooting per year. In the decades since, there have been extremely rare major events, with none reaching the death toll of the incidents in the 1980s and 1990s.

This Recent Attack and the Role of Existing Regulations

Even during the Bondi tragedy, the nation's gun laws were partially effective. Reports indicate the individuals involved 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 physical action to chamber the next round. While these guns are capable of being discharged quite quickly with devastating effect, they remain far slower and more cumbersome than the high-capacity, self-loading rifles frequently used in international attacks. The number of deaths at Bondi would've been far higher if different weapons had been available.

Stopping another Bondi requires national cohesion. And unfortunately, there are already cracks in the facade.

A System Under Strain

Yet, the terrible consequences of the attack reveals that existing gun laws are failing. Designed in the late 1990s with the noblest aims, decades have eroded their efficacy. Concerningly, there are now a greater number of guns in Australia than before the Port Arthur massacre, with some citizens in urban areas owning collections numbering in the hundreds.

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

The Road Forward: Announced Changes

In the time after the Bondi attack, there have been numerous announcements regarding new firearm legislation. New South Wales in particular will soon introduce a package of reforms to mitigate the public danger posed by firearms. The federal government has announced a new firearm surrender scheme, and there is hope for a national firearms registry, notwithstanding the inherent challenges of aligning state and federal governments.

All of this are feasible if the nation works together. As noted, regarding gun control, the country is only as strong as its weakest link. This is the reality of the Australian system – laws in one state are easily circumvented if they can be avoided with a short drive across a state line.

Countering Frequent Objections

There is the predictable response that "firearms are not the killers, individuals are". This is true in the same sense that aircraft do not fly passengers, aviators do. Yes, aircraft require operators, but it would be virtually impossible for a captain to transport 500 people internationally without the aircraft. 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 used.

Weighing Necessity and Safety

There are legitimate reasons for some Australians to possess guns. Managing livestock or culling pests in many places is incredibly hard without them. A complete removal of firearms from the country is not feasible, as in some cases they are indispensable.

The achievable goal – 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 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 learn from the tragedy of Bondi to heart, and make certain that future generations are as protected as previous generations have been.

As one friend observed after the Bondi attack, "things like this just don't happen here". This is true, but only because the country has collectively worked to maintain its security. As nightmarish as the attack was, there is an aspiration that it can serve as the final tragedy the nation ever sees.