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In the aftermath of the horrific incident at Bondi, Australia is confronting several pressing conversations. We are seeing a much-needed national focus on antisemitism, an ongoing concern about national security, and questions about how such an event could occur. However, from the perspective of a health professional and Australian Jew, the paramount discussion we are finally having centers on firearms.

Ten Years of Warnings and a Proven Solution

Public health experts have been sounding alarms about guns for at least a decade. Following the events of the Port Arthur massacre, Australians united and implemented a series of measures to reduce gun violence across the country. The strategy succeeded. Prior to 1996, the nation witnessed approximately one large-scale firearm incident per year. In the decades since, there have been vanishingly few major events, with none approaching the fatalities of the incidents in the 1980s and 1990s.

This Recent Attack and the Role of Current Laws

Amidst the Bondi events, the nation's firearm regulations were partially effective. It has been suggested the alleged attackers might have been armed with manually-operated long guns and a straight-pull shotgun. These weapons are limited to firing a one round at a time, requiring a manual operation to ready the subsequent shot. Although these guns are capable of being discharged rapidly with lethal results, they remain far slower and more cumbersome than the large-magazine, self-loading rifles commonplace in overseas mass shootings. The number of deaths at Bondi would've been far higher if different firearms had been accessible.

Stopping another Bondi requires national cohesion. Regrettably, we have already seen cracks in the facade.

A System Showing Weakness

However, the terrible consequences of the incident demonstrates that existing gun laws are inadequate. Crafted in the late 1990s with the best of intentions, years have eroded their effectiveness. Concerningly, there are now 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 overconfident and it has exacted a terrible price.

The Path Ahead: Proposed Changes

In the time after the Bondi tragedy, there have been multiple declarations regarding new gun laws. New South Wales specifically will soon introduce a suite of reforms to mitigate the public danger posed by firearms. The national government has announced a fresh gun buyback, and there is hope for a countrywide gun database, despite the inherent challenges of aligning state and federal jurisdictions.

All of this are feasible if the nation works together. As noted, when it comes to gun control, the country is only as strong as its least stringent jurisdiction. This is the reality of the Australian federation – laws in one state are much less meaningful if they can be avoided with a short drive across a border.

Countering Frequent Arguments

There is the inevitable argument that "firearms are not the killers, individuals are". This is true in the same sense that aircraft do not fly passengers, aviators do. Yes, planes can't fly themselves, 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 all but impossible without firearms, and would have been significantly less lethal if the alleged terrorists had not had access to the weapons they possessed.

Weighing Need and Security

It is acknowledged there are valid needs for some Australians to own firearms. Managing livestock or culling pests in rural areas is extremely difficult without them. A total ban of firearms from the country is impractical, as in some cases they are essential tools.

The achievable goal – what we must do – is to ensure that gun laws are modernized to better match the society we live in today. Australia's legislation have historically 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 critical to learn from the tragedy of Bondi seriously, and ensure that coming Australians are as protected as past generations have been.

As one friend observed after the Bondi events, "things like this just don't happen here". They don't, but solely due to the fact that the country has collectively worked to keep itself safe. However horrific as the incident was, there is hope that it can serve as the final tragedy the nation ever sees.