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In the aftermath of the awful attack at Bondi, Australia is facing several critical reckonings. There is a much-needed national spotlight on antisemitism, an persistent concern about public safety, and inquiries about how such an event could happen. But, from the perspective of a public health expert and Jewish Australian, the most important discussion we are now having centers on firearms.

Ten Years of Warnings and a Proven Solution

Public health experts have been issuing warnings about firearms for a minimum of a ten-year period. Following the events of the Port Arthur massacre, Australians united and implemented a suite of measures to reduce gun violence nationwide. And it worked. Before 1996, the nation experienced roughly one mass shooting per year. Over the following years, 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 Function of Current Regulations

Even during the Bondi events, the nation's firearm regulations were partially effective. Reports indicate the alleged attackers might have been armed with manually-operated long guns and a straight-pull shotgun. These weapons can only fire a one round at a time, requiring a physical action to ready the next round. While these guns are capable of being discharged rapidly with devastating effect, they remain significantly less rapid and less efficient than the high-capacity, self-loading rifles commonplace in overseas attacks. The number of deaths at Bondi would've been far higher if different weapons had been accessible.

Stopping another Bondi demands unity across all states. And unfortunately, there are already cracks in the united front.

A System Showing Weakness

However, the horrific consequences of the attack demonstrates that existing firearm regulations are failing. Crafted in the late 1990s with the best of intentions, decades have worn away their effectiveness. Alarmingly, there are currently a greater number of guns in Australia than before the Port Arthur shooting, with some citizens in cities owning collections of hundreds of weapons.

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

The Path Ahead: Proposed Changes

Since the Bondi attack, there have been numerous declarations regarding new gun laws. New South Wales specifically will soon introduce a package of reforms to mitigate the collective risk from firearms. The federal government has proposed a fresh gun buyback, and there is potential for a countrywide gun database, despite the inherent challenges of coordinating state and federal governments.

These measures are feasible provided that the nation works together. As stated, regarding gun control, the country is dependent on its weakest link. This is the very nature of the Australian system – laws in one state are easily circumvented if they can be bypassed with a journey across a border.

Addressing Common Arguments

There is the predictable response that "guns don't kill people, people kill people". This is accurate in the same sense that aircraft do not fly passengers, aviators do. Certainly, planes can't fly themselves, but it would be quite challenging for a pilot to transport 500 people overseas without the plane. The horrific violence seen at Bondi would be all but impossible without firearms, and would have been far less damaging if the accused individuals had not had access to the firearms they possessed.

Weighing Necessity and Security

There are valid needs for some Australians to own firearms. Managing livestock or controlling vermin in many places is extremely difficult without them. A total ban of firearms from the country is impractical, as in certain contexts they are indispensable.

The achievable goal – the imperative action – is to ensure that gun laws are modernized to better match the world we live in today. Australia's laws have long been the envy of the world, but time and distance 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 previous generations have been.

A friend remarked 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 maintain its security. However horrific as the incident was, there is hope that it can become the final tragedy the nation ever sees.