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In the aftermath of the horrific incident at Bondi, Australia is confronting multiple pressing conversations. We are seeing a much-needed national focus on antisemitism, an ongoing worry about national security, and questions about how such an tragedy could occur. 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 Warnings and a Proven Solution

Public health experts have been issuing warnings about firearms for at least a decade. Following the events of the Port Arthur massacre, Australians came together and implemented a series of reforms to curb gun violence nationwide. And it worked. Prior to 1996, the nation witnessed roughly one large-scale firearm incident per year. In the decades since, there have been extremely rare significant tragedies, with none reaching the death toll of the incidents in the 1980s and 1990s.

The Bondi Tragedy and the Function of Existing Laws

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 single bullet at a time, necessitating a physical action to chamber the subsequent shot. Although these guns can be fired quite quickly with lethal results, they remain far slower and more cumbersome than the high-capacity, semi-automatic rifles commonplace in international attacks. The number of deaths at Bondi would've been far higher if more advanced weapons had been accessible.

Preventing a future Bondi demands national cohesion. And unfortunately, we have already seen cracks in the facade.

A System Showing Weakness

Yet, the terrible consequences of the incident reveals that current firearm regulations are failing. Designed in the late 1990s with the noblest aims, decades have worn away their effectiveness. Alarmingly, there are currently more firearms in Australia than prior to the Port Arthur massacre, with some individuals in urban areas owning arsenals of hundreds of weapons.

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

The Road Forward: Proposed Changes

In the time after the Bondi tragedy, there have been numerous declarations regarding new gun laws. The state of NSW in particular will soon enact a package of reforms to reduce the public danger posed by firearms. The federal government has proposed a new gun buyback, and there is hope for a countrywide gun database, notwithstanding the complexities of aligning state and federal governments.

These measures are feasible provided that the nation acts in unison. As noted, regarding gun control, the country is dependent on its least stringent jurisdiction. This is the reality of the Australian system – laws in one state are easily circumvented if they can be avoided with a journey across a border.

Addressing Common Arguments

There is the inevitable response that "firearms are not the killers, people kill people". This is true in the same sense that aircraft do not fly passengers, pilots do. Yes, aircraft require operators, but it would be virtually impossible for a captain to transport 500 people internationally without the plane. The horrific violence seen 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.

Balancing Need and Security

It is acknowledged there are legitimate needs for some Australians to own guns. Farm work or controlling vermin in rural areas is extremely difficult without them. A total ban of guns from the country is not feasible, as in some cases they are indispensable.

What we can do – the imperative action – is to ensure that firearm legislation are modernized to better match the society we live in today. Australia's legislation have long been the envy of the world, but the passage of years has taken a toll and the nation is less secure as it previously was. It is vital to take the lessons of Bondi to heart, and ensure that coming Australians are equally safe as previous generations have been.

A commentator remarked after the Bondi events, "things like this just don't happen here". They don't, but only because the country has collectively worked to keep itself safe. However horrific as the incident was, there is hope that it can become the final tragedy the nation ever sees.