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Following the tragedy of the horrific incident at Bondi, Australia is confronting multiple critical reckonings. We are seeing a much-needed national focus on anti-Jewish sentiment, an persistent concern about public safety, and inquiries about the way such an tragedy could occur. However, as viewed of a health professional and Jewish Australian, the paramount discussion we are now having revolves around firearms.

Ten Years of Warnings and a Proven Response

Public health specialists have been issuing warnings about guns for at least a ten-year period. In the wake of the Port Arthur massacre, Australians united and enacted a series of measures to curb gun violence nationwide. And it worked. Before 1996, the nation experienced roughly one large-scale firearm incident per year. Over the following years, there have been extremely rare significant tragedies, with none reaching the death toll of the shootings in the 1980s and 1990s.

This Recent Attack and the Function of Current Laws

Even during the Bondi tragedy, the nation's gun laws were partially effective. It has been suggested 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 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 commonplace in international attacks. The casualty count at Bondi could have been much greater if different weapons had been accessible.

Stopping another Bondi demands national cohesion. Regrettably, we have already seen fissures in the united front.

Legislation Showing Weakness

Yet, the horrific toll of the attack demonstrates 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 more firearms in Australia than prior to the Port Arthur shooting, with some individuals in cities owning arsenals numbering in the hundreds.

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

The Road Forward: Proposed Reforms

In the time after the Bondi attack, there have been numerous announcements regarding strengthened firearm legislation. New South Wales specifically will soon introduce a package of measures to mitigate the collective risk from firearms. The national government has announced a new gun buyback, and there is potential for a national firearms registry, notwithstanding the complexities of coordinating state and federal governments.

These measures are only possible provided that the nation works together. As stated, regarding firearm laws, the country is dependent on its least stringent jurisdiction. This is the reality of the Australian federation – laws in one state are much less meaningful if they can be bypassed with a short drive across a state line.

Addressing Frequent Arguments

We hear the predictable argument that "guns don't kill people, people kill people". This is true in the same sense that aircraft do not fly passengers, pilots do. Yes, planes can't fly themselves, but it would be virtually impossible for a pilot to transport 500 people internationally without the aircraft. The horrific violence seen at Bondi would be extremely difficult without firearms, and would have been far less damaging if the accused individuals had been denied access to the weapons they possessed.

Weighing Need and Security

There are valid reasons for some Australians to own guns. Farm work or culling pests in rural areas is extremely difficult without them. A total ban of guns from the country is impractical, as in some cases they are essential tools.

What we can do – the imperative action – is to ensure that gun laws are updated to accurately reflect the world we live in today. Australia's laws have long been the admiration of the world, but the passage of years has taken a toll and the nation is no longer as safe as it once was. It is vital to learn from the tragedy of Bondi seriously, and ensure that future generations are as protected as past generations have been.

As one 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 keep itself safe. However horrific as the incident was, there is an aspiration that it can serve as the last one the nation ever sees.