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Following the tragedy of the horrific incident at Bondi, Australia is confronting several critical conversations. There is a long-overdue national spotlight on antisemitism, an persistent worry about public safety, and questions about how such an event could happen. But, from the perspective of a public health expert and Australian Jew, the most important discussion we are finally having centers on firearms.

A Decade of Cautions and a Proven Solution

Health experts have been issuing warnings about firearms for at least a ten-year period. Following the events of the Port Arthur tragedy, Australians united and enacted a suite of measures to curb gun violence across the country. The strategy succeeded. Prior to 1996, the nation witnessed roughly one mass shooting per year. In the decades since, there have been vanishingly few major events, with none approaching the death toll of the incidents in the 1980s and 1990s.

The Bondi Attack and the Function of Current Regulations

Amidst the Bondi tragedy, the nation's firearm regulations were partially effective. It has been suggested the individuals involved possessed with bolt-action rifles and at least one straight-pull shotgun. These firearms can only fire a one round at a time, requiring a manual operation to chamber the subsequent shot. While these guns are capable of being discharged rapidly with devastating effect, they remain significantly less rapid and more cumbersome than the high-capacity, self-loading rifles commonplace in overseas mass shootings. The number of deaths at Bondi would've been far higher if more advanced weapons had been available.

Preventing a future Bondi demands unity across all states. Regrettably, there are already cracks in the united front.

A System Under Strain

However, the terrible consequences of the incident demonstrates that current gun laws are inadequate. Crafted in the late 1990s with the best of intentions, years have eroded their effectiveness. Alarmingly, there are now a greater number of guns in Australia than prior to the Port Arthur massacre, with some citizens in cities owning collections numbering in the hundreds.

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

The Road Forward: Announced Changes

Since the Bondi tragedy, there have been numerous announcements regarding strengthened gun laws. The state of NSW specifically will soon introduce a suite of reforms to reduce the public danger posed by firearms. The national government has proposed a new gun buyback, and there is hope for a national firearms registry, despite the complexities of coordinating state and federal governments.

All of this are only possible if the nation acts in unison. As stated, when it comes to gun control, the country is dependent on its least stringent jurisdiction. This is the very nature of the Australian system – regulations in one state are much less meaningful if they can be bypassed with a short drive across a state line.

Addressing Common Objections

We hear the predictable response that "guns don't kill people, individuals are". This is accurate in the same sense that planes don't transport people, pilots do. Yes, planes can't fly themselves, but it would be quite challenging for a pilot to transport 500 people internationally without the aircraft. The mass slaughter witnessed at Bondi would be extremely difficult without firearms, and would have been far less damaging if the alleged terrorists had been denied access to the firearms they used.

Balancing Need and Security

There are valid reasons for some Australians to possess firearms. Farm work or controlling vermin in many places is incredibly hard without them. A total ban 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 gun laws are updated to accurately reflect the world we live in today. Australia's legislation have long been the admiration of the world, but the passage of years has done its work and the nation is no longer as safe as it once was. It is vital to learn from the tragedy of Bondi seriously, and ensure that coming Australians are equally safe as previous 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. As nightmarish as the attack was, there is an aspiration that it can become the final tragedy the nation experiences.