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Following the tragedy of the awful incident at Bondi, Australia is confronting several critical reckonings. We are seeing a much-needed national spotlight on anti-Jewish sentiment, an ongoing worry about national security, and questions about how such an tragedy could occur. But, from the perspective of a public health expert and Australian Jew, the paramount discussion we are now having centers on firearms.

A Decade of Warnings and a Proven Response

Public health specialists have been issuing warnings about guns for at least a ten-year period. Following the events of the Port Arthur tragedy, Australians came together and implemented a suite of reforms to curb gun violence nationwide. The strategy succeeded. Prior to 1996, the nation witnessed roughly one large-scale firearm incident per year. Over the following years, there have been extremely rare major events, with none reaching the death toll of the shootings in the 1980s and 1990s.

The Bondi Tragedy and the Function of Current Regulations

Even during the Bondi events, the nation's firearm regulations were partially effective. It has been suggested the individuals involved might have been armed with manually-operated long guns and at least one straight-pull shotgun. These firearms are limited to firing a single bullet at a time, necessitating a physical action to ready the subsequent shot. Although these guns can be fired rapidly with lethal results, they remain far slower and more cumbersome than the high-capacity, self-loading rifles frequently used in international mass shootings. The number of deaths at Bondi would've been far higher if more advanced firearms had been available.

Preventing a future Bondi requires unity across all states. And unfortunately, there are already fissures in the united front.

Legislation Showing Weakness

However, the terrible toll of the attack demonstrates that existing gun laws are inadequate. Crafted in the late 1990s with the best of intentions, years have eroded their effectiveness. Alarmingly, there are now a greater number of guns in Australia than prior to the Port Arthur shooting, with some individuals in cities owning arsenals of hundreds of weapons.

We have been overconfident and it has cost us terribly.

The Path Ahead: Announced Reforms

Since the Bondi tragedy, there have been numerous announcements regarding strengthened firearm legislation. The state of NSW in particular will soon enact a package of measures to mitigate the collective risk posed by firearms. The national government has proposed a fresh gun buyback, and there is hope for a countrywide gun database, notwithstanding the inherent challenges of coordinating state and federal governments.

All of this are feasible if the nation works together. As noted, when it comes to gun control, the country is dependent on its least stringent jurisdiction. This is the reality of the Australian system – laws in one state are easily circumvented if they can be avoided with a journey across a state line.

Addressing Frequent Objections

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, aviators do. Yes, planes can't fly themselves, but it would be virtually impossible for a captain to transport 500 people internationally without the aircraft. The horrific violence seen at Bondi would be all but impossible without guns, and would have been significantly less lethal if the accused individuals had not had access to the weapons they possessed.

Balancing Need and Security

There are valid reasons for some Australians to own firearms. Farm work or culling pests in many places is incredibly hard without them. A total ban of guns from the country is not feasible, as in certain contexts they are essential tools.

What we can do – the imperative action – is to guarantee that firearm legislation are updated to accurately reflect the society we live in today. Australia's legislation have long been the envy of the world, but the passage of years has done its work and the nation is no longer as safe as it previously was. It is critical to take the lessons of Bondi to heart, and make certain that coming Australians are equally safe as past generations have been.

A 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 made concerted efforts to maintain its security. As nightmarish as the attack was, there is an aspiration that it can become the final tragedy the nation experiences.