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In the aftermath of the awful attack at Bondi, Australia is confronting several critical reckonings. We are seeing a much-needed national spotlight on antisemitism, an ongoing worry about public safety, and inquiries about the way such an tragedy could happen. However, from the perspective of a health professional and Jewish Australian, the most important dialogue we are now having centers on firearms.

A Decade of Warnings and a Proven Solution

Public health specialists have been sounding alarms about firearms for at least a decade. In the wake of the Port Arthur tragedy, Australians united and implemented a suite of measures to curb gun violence across the country. And it worked. Prior to 1996, the nation experienced approximately one mass shooting per year. In the decades since, there have been extremely rare major events, with none approaching the fatalities of the shootings in the 1980s and 1990s.

The Bondi Tragedy and the Role of Existing Regulations

Even during the Bondi tragedy, the nation's firearm regulations were not entirely useless. Reports indicate the individuals involved might have been armed with bolt-action rifles and a straight-pull shotgun. These firearms can only fire a single bullet at a time, necessitating a physical action to ready the subsequent shot. Although these guns are capable of being discharged quite quickly with devastating effect, they remain significantly less rapid and more cumbersome than the large-magazine, semi-automatic rifles commonplace in international mass shootings. The casualty count at Bondi would've been far higher if more advanced weapons had been accessible.

Stopping another Bondi requires unity across all states. And unfortunately, there are already fissures in the facade.

Legislation Under Strain

Yet, the terrible toll of the attack demonstrates that existing gun laws are inadequate. Designed in the late 1990s with the noblest aims, years have worn away their efficacy. Concerningly, there are currently a greater number of guns in Australia than before the Port Arthur shooting, with some individuals in cities owning collections numbering in the hundreds.

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

The Path Ahead: Announced Reforms

In the time after the Bondi attack, there have been multiple announcements regarding new gun laws. New South Wales in particular will shortly enact a suite of measures to reduce the collective risk from firearms. The national government has announced a new gun buyback, and there is potential for a national firearms registry, notwithstanding the inherent challenges of aligning state and federal jurisdictions.

These measures are only possible provided that the nation works together. As noted, when it comes to firearm laws, the country is only as strong as its weakest link. This is the reality of the Australian federation – laws in one state are much less meaningful if they can be bypassed with a journey across a border.

Countering Frequent Objections

We hear the inevitable argument that "firearms are not the killers, people kill people". This is true in the same sense that aircraft do not fly passengers, aviators do. Certainly, aircraft require operators, but it would be quite challenging for a captain to transport 500 people internationally without the aircraft. The mass slaughter seen at Bondi would be all but impossible without guns, and would have been far less damaging if the accused individuals had been denied access to the weapons they possessed.

Balancing Necessity and Security

There are valid needs for some Australians to possess firearms. Farm work or controlling vermin in rural areas is extremely difficult without them. A complete removal of guns from the country is not feasible, as in certain contexts they are indispensable.

What we can do – the imperative action – is to guarantee that firearm legislation are updated to accurately reflect the society we live in today. Australia's laws have long been the admiration of the world, but time and distance has taken a toll and the nation is no longer as safe as it previously was. It is vital to take the lessons of Bondi seriously, and make certain that coming Australians are as protected as past generations have been.

As one commentator observed 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 collectively worked to maintain its security. However horrific as the attack was, there is an aspiration that it can serve as the last one the nation experiences.