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In the aftermath of the horrific attack at Bondi, Australia is confronting several critical reckonings. We are seeing a long-overdue national spotlight on antisemitism, an ongoing concern about national security, and inquiries about how such an tragedy could happen. But, as viewed of a public health expert and Australian Jew, the most important discussion we are finally having revolves around firearms.

Ten Years of Cautions and a Successful Solution

Health specialists have been issuing warnings about firearms for a minimum of a ten-year period. In the wake of the Port Arthur massacre, Australians came together and implemented a series of reforms to reduce gun violence across the country. The strategy succeeded. Before 1996, the nation experienced approximately one mass shooting per year. Over the following years, there have been vanishingly few major events, with none reaching the death toll of the shootings in the 1980s and 1990s.

This Recent Tragedy and the Function of Existing Laws

Amidst the Bondi tragedy, the nation's gun laws were not entirely useless. It has been suggested the alleged attackers might have been armed with manually-operated long guns and at least one straight-pull shotgun. These weapons are limited to firing a one round at a time, requiring a physical action to ready the subsequent shot. While these guns can be fired quite quickly with lethal results, they remain far slower and less efficient than the large-magazine, semi-automatic rifles frequently used in international attacks. The casualty count at Bondi could have been much greater if more advanced firearms had been accessible.

Stopping another Bondi demands unity across all states. Regrettably, we have already seen cracks in the united front.

Legislation Under Strain

However, the terrible toll of the incident reveals that current gun laws are inadequate. Crafted in the late 1990s with the best of intentions, decades have eroded their efficacy. Concerningly, there are now more firearms in Australia than before the Port Arthur massacre, with some citizens in cities owning collections of hundreds of weapons.

The nation has grown complacent and it has exacted a terrible price.

The Path Ahead: Announced Reforms

Since the Bondi attack, there have been multiple declarations regarding new firearm legislation. The state of NSW in particular will soon introduce a package of reforms to reduce the collective risk posed by firearms. The national government has announced a fresh gun buyback, and there is hope for a countrywide gun database, despite the complexities of coordinating state and federal governments.

All of this are feasible if the nation works together. As stated, when it comes to firearm laws, the country is only as strong as its weakest link. This is the very nature of the Australian federation – regulations in one state are much less meaningful if they can be avoided with a short drive across a state line.

Countering Frequent Arguments

We hear the predictable response that "firearms are not the killers, individuals are". This is accurate in the identical way that planes don't transport people, pilots do. Yes, aircraft require operators, but it would be virtually impossible for a captain to transport 500 people internationally without the aircraft. The mass slaughter seen 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 weapons they used.

Balancing Need and Safety

It is acknowledged there are valid needs for some Australians to own guns. 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.

The achievable goal – what we must do – is to ensure that gun laws are updated to accurately reflect the world 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 take the lessons of Bondi seriously, and make certain that future generations are equally safe as previous generations have been.

A friend remarked after the Bondi attack, "such tragedies just don't happen here". They don't, but only because the country has made concerted efforts to maintain its security. However horrific as the attack was, there is hope that it can serve as the last one the nation experiences.