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Following the tragedy of the awful incident at Bondi, Australia is facing multiple critical reckonings. We are seeing a much-needed national spotlight on anti-Jewish sentiment, an persistent worry about national security, and questions about the way such an event could occur. However, from the perspective of a public health expert and Jewish Australian, the paramount dialogue we are now having revolves around firearms.

A Decade of Warnings and a Proven Solution

Health specialists have been sounding alarms about guns for at least a decade. In the wake of the Port Arthur massacre, Australians came together and implemented a series of reforms to curb gun violence across the country. And it worked. Prior to 1996, the nation experienced approximately one mass shooting per year. Over the following years, there have been extremely rare significant tragedies, with none reaching the fatalities of the shootings in the 1980s and 1990s.

This Recent Attack and the Role of Current Laws

Amidst the Bondi events, the nation's firearm regulations 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 chamber the subsequent shot. Although these guns are capable of being discharged rapidly with devastating effect, they remain significantly less rapid and less efficient than the large-magazine, semi-automatic rifles frequently used in overseas mass shootings. The number of deaths at Bondi could have been much greater if different weapons had been available.

Stopping a future Bondi demands national cohesion. And unfortunately, there are already cracks in the united front.

Legislation Showing Weakness

However, the terrible consequences of the attack demonstrates that existing gun laws are failing. Designed in the late 1990s with the best of intentions, years have eroded their efficacy. Concerningly, there are currently more firearms in Australia than prior to the Port Arthur shooting, with some individuals in cities reportedly holding collections numbering in the hundreds.

We have been complacent and it has cost us terribly.

The Path Forward: Announced Changes

In the time after the Bondi tragedy, there have been multiple declarations regarding strengthened firearm legislation. The state of NSW specifically will shortly enact a package of measures to reduce the collective risk posed by firearms. The national government has proposed a new firearm surrender scheme, and there is hope for a countrywide gun database, notwithstanding the complexities of aligning state and federal governments.

All of this are only possible if the nation acts in unison. As noted, regarding gun control, the country is only as strong as its weakest link. This is the very nature of the Australian federation – regulations in one state are easily circumvented if they can be bypassed with a short drive across a border.

Addressing Frequent Arguments

There is the predictable response that "guns don't kill people, individuals are". This is true in the identical way that planes don't transport people, pilots do. Certainly, aircraft require operators, but it would be quite challenging for a captain to transport 500 people overseas without the aircraft. The mass slaughter witnessed at Bondi would be extremely difficult without guns, and would have been significantly less lethal if the alleged terrorists had been denied access to the firearms they possessed.

Balancing Necessity and Safety

It is acknowledged there are legitimate needs for some Australians to possess guns. Managing livestock or culling pests in rural areas is extremely difficult without them. A complete removal of guns from the country is impractical, as in some cases they are indispensable.

What we can do – the imperative action – is to guarantee that firearm legislation are modernized to better match the society we live in today. Australia's legislation have historically been the admiration 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 ensure that future generations are equally safe as past generations have been.

As one commentator observed after the Bondi attack, "things like this just don't happen here". This is true, but solely due to the fact that the country has collectively worked to maintain its security. However horrific as the attack was, there is hope that it can become the final tragedy the nation experiences.