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Following the tragedy of the horrific attack at Bondi, Australia is facing multiple pressing reckonings. We are seeing a long-overdue national spotlight on antisemitism, an ongoing concern about public safety, and questions about how such an tragedy could happen. But, as viewed of a health professional and Jewish Australian, the paramount dialogue we are now having revolves around firearms.

A Decade of Warnings and a Successful Response

Public health specialists have been sounding alarms about firearms for at least a ten-year period. Following the events of the Port Arthur massacre, Australians came together and enacted a suite of measures to curb gun violence nationwide. And it worked. Before 1996, the nation experienced approximately one large-scale firearm incident per year. Over the following years, there have been vanishingly few significant tragedies, with none reaching the death toll of the incidents in the 1980s and 1990s.

This Recent Attack and the Role of Current 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 weapons can only fire a one round at a time, necessitating a manual operation to ready the next round. While these guns are capable of being discharged rapidly with devastating effect, they remain far slower and less efficient than the high-capacity, self-loading rifles frequently used in overseas attacks. The casualty count at Bondi would've been far higher if more advanced weapons had been available.

Preventing another Bondi demands national cohesion. Regrettably, there are already cracks in the facade.

A System Under Strain

Yet, the horrific consequences of the attack demonstrates that current firearm regulations are failing. Crafted in the late 1990s with the noblest aims, decades have eroded their effectiveness. Alarmingly, there are currently more firearms in Australia than before the Port Arthur massacre, with some citizens in cities reportedly holding collections of hundreds of weapons.

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

The Path Ahead: Proposed Reforms

In the time after the Bondi attack, there have been numerous declarations regarding strengthened gun laws. The state of NSW specifically will soon enact a suite of measures to mitigate the public danger from firearms. The national government has proposed a new firearm surrender scheme, and there is hope for a countrywide gun database, despite the inherent challenges of aligning state and federal jurisdictions.

These measures are only possible if the nation works together. As stated, when it comes to gun control, the country is only as strong as its weakest link. This is the very nature of the Australian federation – laws in one state are much less meaningful if they can be avoided with a journey across a border.

Addressing Common Arguments

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

Balancing Necessity and Safety

There are legitimate reasons for some Australians to own firearms. Managing livestock or controlling vermin in rural areas is incredibly hard without them. A total ban of firearms from the country is impractical, as in certain contexts they are essential tools.

The achievable goal – what we must do – is to guarantee that gun laws are modernized to better match the world we live in today. Australia's legislation have historically been the envy of the world, but the passage of years has taken a toll and the nation is no longer as safe as it previously was. It is vital to learn from the tragedy of Bondi seriously, and make certain that coming Australians are as protected as previous generations have been.

A commentator remarked after the Bondi attack, "such tragedies just don't happen here". This is true, but only because the country has collectively worked to keep itself safe. However horrific as the incident was, there is an aspiration that it can become the last one the nation ever sees.