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Following the tragedy of the horrific incident at Bondi, Australia is confronting multiple critical conversations. There is a much-needed national focus on antisemitism, an ongoing worry about national security, and questions about the way such an tragedy could happen. But, from the perspective of a public health expert and Jewish Australian, the most important dialogue we are finally having revolves around firearms.

A Decade of Cautions and a Successful Response

Health specialists have been sounding alarms about firearms for a minimum of a ten-year period. In the wake of the Port Arthur massacre, Australians came together and enacted a series of reforms to curb gun violence nationwide. The strategy succeeded. Prior to 1996, the nation experienced roughly one mass shooting per year. Over the following years, 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 Laws

Amidst the Bondi events, the nation's firearm regulations were partially effective. Reports indicate the individuals involved might have been armed with manually-operated long guns and at least one straight-pull shotgun. These weapons can only fire a single bullet at a time, necessitating a manual operation to ready the subsequent shot. While these guns can be fired quite quickly with devastating effect, they remain far slower and more cumbersome than the high-capacity, semi-automatic rifles frequently used in international mass shootings. The number of deaths at Bondi would've been far higher if different weapons had been accessible.

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

A System Showing Weakness

Yet, the terrible toll of the attack reveals that existing gun laws are inadequate. Designed in the late 1990s with the best of intentions, years have eroded their effectiveness. Concerningly, there are currently more firearms in Australia than prior to the Port Arthur shooting, with some individuals in cities reportedly holding collections of hundreds of weapons.

The nation has grown overconfident and it has exacted a terrible price.

The Path Forward: Announced Reforms

In the time after the Bondi attack, there have been numerous announcements regarding strengthened gun laws. New South Wales specifically will shortly enact a package of measures to mitigate the public danger posed by firearms. The national government has announced a fresh gun buyback, and there is hope for a national firearms registry, despite the complexities of aligning state and federal governments.

All of this are feasible 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 – regulations in one state are much less meaningful if they can be bypassed with a journey across a border.

Countering Frequent Arguments

There is the inevitable argument that "guns don't kill people, individuals are". This is accurate in the same sense that aircraft do not fly passengers, pilots do. Yes, planes can't fly themselves, but it would be virtually impossible for a captain to transport 500 people internationally without the aircraft. The horrific violence witnessed at Bondi would be all but impossible without firearms, and would have been far less damaging if the alleged terrorists had been denied access to the weapons they used.

Balancing Need and Safety

There are valid reasons for some Australians to possess firearms. Managing livestock or controlling vermin in many places is extremely difficult without them. A total ban of firearms from the country is not feasible, as in certain contexts they are indispensable.

What we can do – what we must do – is to guarantee that firearm legislation are updated to accurately reflect the world we live in today. Australia's legislation have historically been the admiration of the world, but time and distance has taken a toll and the nation is no longer as safe as it once was. It is vital to learn from the tragedy of Bondi seriously, and make certain that coming Australians are equally safe as previous generations have been.

A commentator observed after the Bondi attack, "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 hope that it can serve as the last one the nation experiences.