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In the aftermath of the horrific incident at Bondi, Australia is confronting multiple critical reckonings. We are seeing a much-needed national spotlight on anti-Jewish sentiment, an persistent worry about public safety, and questions about how such an tragedy could happen. But, from the perspective of a public health expert and Jewish Australian, the most important dialogue we are now having revolves around firearms.

Ten Years of Cautions and a Successful Solution

Public health specialists have been sounding alarms about guns for a minimum of a ten-year period. Following the events of the Port Arthur massacre, Australians united and enacted a series of reforms to reduce gun violence nationwide. And it worked. Before 1996, the nation witnessed approximately one large-scale firearm incident per year. Over the following years, there have been extremely rare major events, with none approaching the fatalities of the incidents in the 1980s and 1990s.

The Bondi Attack and the Role of Current Laws

Even during the Bondi tragedy, the nation's gun laws were not entirely useless. Reports indicate the alleged attackers might have been armed with bolt-action rifles and at least one straight-pull shotgun. These firearms can only fire a one round at a time, necessitating a physical action to ready the subsequent shot. Although these guns can be fired rapidly with devastating effect, they remain significantly less rapid and less efficient than the large-magazine, self-loading rifles frequently used in international mass shootings. The number of deaths at Bondi could have been much greater if different weapons had been available.

Preventing a future Bondi requires national cohesion. Regrettably, there are already fissures in the united front.

A System Under Strain

Yet, the horrific toll of the attack reveals that existing gun laws are inadequate. Crafted in the late 1990s with the best of intentions, years have worn away their efficacy. Concerningly, there are currently a greater number of guns in Australia than before the Port Arthur shooting, with some individuals in cities reportedly holding collections numbering in the hundreds.

We have been overconfident and it has exacted a terrible price.

The Path Ahead: Proposed Reforms

In the time after the Bondi tragedy, there have been multiple declarations regarding strengthened firearm legislation. The state of NSW specifically will soon introduce a package of reforms to mitigate the public danger from firearms. The federal government has proposed a new firearm surrender scheme, and there is potential for a countrywide gun database, despite the complexities of aligning state and federal governments.

These measures are only possible provided that the nation acts in unison. As noted, when it comes to firearm laws, the country is dependent on its weakest link. 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 state line.

Countering Frequent Arguments

We hear the predictable response that "guns don't kill people, individuals are". This is true in the identical way that aircraft do not fly passengers, pilots do. Yes, planes can't fly themselves, but it would be virtually impossible for a captain to move 500 people overseas without the aircraft. The mass slaughter witnessed at Bondi would be extremely difficult without firearms, and would have been far less damaging if the alleged terrorists had not had access to the weapons they used.

Weighing Necessity and Safety

It is acknowledged there are valid reasons for some Australians to own guns. Managing livestock or culling pests in many places is extremely difficult without them. A total ban of guns from the country is impractical, as in some cases they are indispensable.

The achievable goal – what we must do – is to ensure that gun laws are modernized to accurately reflect the society we live in today. Australia's legislation have historically been the envy of the world, but the passage of years has done its work and the nation is less secure as it previously was. It is vital to take the lessons of Bondi to heart, and ensure that future generations are equally safe as previous generations have been.

As one commentator remarked after the Bondi attack, "things like this just don't happen here". This is true, but only because the country has made concerted efforts to maintain its security. As nightmarish as the incident was, there is an aspiration that it can become the last one the nation ever sees.