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Following the tragedy of the awful incident at Bondi, Australia is facing multiple pressing conversations. There is a much-needed national spotlight on anti-Jewish sentiment, an persistent worry about national security, and questions about how such an tragedy could happen. But, as viewed of a public health expert and Australian Jew, the paramount dialogue we are now having revolves around firearms.

Ten Years of Cautions and a Proven Response

Health experts have been issuing warnings about firearms for a minimum of a ten-year period. In the wake of the Port Arthur tragedy, Australians came together and implemented a series of reforms to reduce gun violence across the country. And it worked. Before 1996, the nation witnessed roughly 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 Tragedy and the Function of Current Regulations

Even during the Bondi tragedy, the nation's gun laws were not entirely useless. Reports indicate the individuals involved possessed with manually-operated long guns and a straight-pull shotgun. These weapons can only fire a single bullet at a time, requiring a manual operation to chamber the next round. While these guns are capable of being discharged rapidly with lethal results, they remain far slower and less efficient than the large-magazine, semi-automatic rifles commonplace in international attacks. The casualty count at Bondi would've been far higher if more advanced firearms had been available.

Stopping another Bondi requires national cohesion. Regrettably, there are already cracks in the united front.

Legislation Showing Weakness

Yet, the horrific toll of the incident demonstrates that current gun laws are inadequate. Crafted in the late 1990s with the noblest aims, years have eroded their effectiveness. Concerningly, there are now more firearms in Australia than prior to the Port Arthur massacre, with some citizens in cities reportedly holding collections of hundreds of weapons.

We have been overconfident and it has cost us terribly.

The Road Ahead: Proposed Changes

In the time after the Bondi tragedy, there have been numerous announcements regarding strengthened firearm legislation. The state of NSW specifically will soon enact a suite of reforms to reduce the collective risk posed by firearms. The federal government has announced a fresh firearm surrender scheme, and there is hope for a countrywide gun database, notwithstanding the complexities of aligning state and federal governments.

These measures are feasible if the nation acts in unison. As stated, when it comes to firearm laws, the country is only as strong as its weakest link. This is the reality of the Australian federation – laws in one state are much less meaningful if they can be avoided with a journey across a state line.

Countering Frequent Objections

There is the predictable argument that "guns don't kill people, individuals are". This is true in the same sense that planes don't transport people, pilots do. Certainly, aircraft require operators, but it would be virtually impossible for a captain to move 500 people internationally without the aircraft. The horrific violence witnessed at Bondi would be all but impossible without firearms, and would have been significantly less lethal if the alleged terrorists had not had access to the firearms they possessed.

Weighing Need and Security

There are legitimate needs for some Australians to possess guns. Farm work or controlling vermin in rural areas is incredibly hard without them. A complete removal of guns from the country is not feasible, as in certain contexts they are indispensable.

The achievable goal – what we must do – is to guarantee that firearm legislation are modernized to better match the society we live in today. Australia's legislation have long been the envy of the world, but the passage of years has taken a toll and the nation is less secure as it once was. It is vital to learn from the tragedy of Bondi seriously, and ensure that coming Australians are as protected as past generations have been.

As one commentator observed after the Bondi events, "such tragedies just don't happen here". This is true, but only because the country has collectively worked to maintain its security. As nightmarish as the incident was, there is an aspiration that it can become the last one the nation experiences.