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Following the tragedy of the awful attack 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 inquiries about how such an tragedy could happen. However, from the perspective of a public health expert and Australian Jew, the most important dialogue we are now having centers on firearms.

A Decade of Cautions and a Proven Solution

Health experts have been sounding alarms about firearms for at least a decade. In the wake of the Port Arthur massacre, Australians came together and implemented a series of measures to curb gun violence nationwide. The strategy succeeded. Before 1996, the nation witnessed approximately one mass shooting per year. In the decades since, there have been vanishingly few major events, with none reaching the fatalities of the shootings in the 1980s and 1990s.

This Recent Attack and the Function of Current Laws

Amidst the Bondi tragedy, the nation's firearm regulations were not entirely useless. Reports indicate the alleged attackers might have been armed with manually-operated long guns and at least one straight-pull shotgun. These firearms can only fire a single bullet at a time, necessitating a physical action to ready the next round. While these guns are capable of being discharged quite quickly with devastating effect, they remain significantly less rapid and more cumbersome than the high-capacity, self-loading rifles frequently used in international attacks. The casualty count at Bondi would've been far higher if different firearms had been accessible.

Preventing a future Bondi requires unity across all states. And unfortunately, we have already seen cracks in the united front.

Legislation Showing Weakness

However, the horrific toll of the incident demonstrates that current gun laws are inadequate. Crafted in the late 1990s with the best of intentions, years have worn away their effectiveness. Alarmingly, there are currently more firearms in Australia than prior to the Port Arthur shooting, with some individuals in urban areas reportedly holding arsenals of hundreds of weapons.

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

The Path Ahead: Proposed Changes

In the time after the Bondi tragedy, there have been numerous declarations regarding strengthened gun laws. New South Wales specifically will shortly enact a package of reforms to reduce the public danger from firearms. The national government has proposed a new gun buyback, and there is potential for a countrywide gun database, notwithstanding the inherent challenges of aligning state and federal jurisdictions.

These measures are only possible if the nation acts in unison. As stated, regarding gun control, the country is dependent on its least stringent jurisdiction. This is the reality of the Australian federation – regulations in one state are easily circumvented if they can be bypassed with a journey across a border.

Addressing Common Arguments

There is the inevitable argument that "guns don't kill people, people kill people". This is true in the identical way that aircraft do not fly passengers, pilots do. Certainly, planes can't fly themselves, but it would be virtually impossible for a captain to move 500 people internationally without the plane. The horrific violence seen at Bondi would be extremely difficult without guns, and would have been far less damaging if the alleged terrorists had not had access to the weapons they used.

Weighing Necessity and Safety

There are legitimate reasons for some Australians to possess firearms. Farm work or culling pests in rural areas is extremely difficult without them. A complete removal of guns from the country is not feasible, as in certain contexts they are essential tools.

The achievable goal – what we must do – is to guarantee that gun laws are updated to better match the society we live in today. Australia's laws have historically been the envy of the world, but time and distance has taken a toll and the nation is less secure 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". They don't, but solely due to the fact that the country has made concerted efforts to maintain its security. However horrific as the attack was, there is an aspiration that it can serve as the last one the nation experiences.