How the Bondi Shooting Could Reshape Australia’s Gun Laws

Australia’s gun laws are once again under national scrutiny following the deadly Bondi Beach mass shooting, one of the worst gun attacks the country has seen in decades.

Although Australia’s gun laws are widely regarded as some of the strictest in the world, the Bondi shooting has raised urgent questions about whether existing gun laws are strong enough to prevent future violence.

The Bondi mass shooting comes nearly 30 years after the Port Arthur massacre, which led to sweeping gun law reforms and transformed Australia’s approach to firearm control.

Despite the success of Australia’s gun laws in keeping gun violence rare, legal gun ownership has steadily increased, bringing gun laws back into the spotlight. Following the Bondi shooting, Australian leaders agreed that gun laws may need to be tightened further, especially around licensing, ownership limits, and eligibility.

Proposed gun laws would restrict licenses to Australian citizens, require licenses to expire, and impose limits on the number and type of firearms individuals can own.

The Bondi mass shooting has also accelerated efforts to strengthen Australia’s national firearms register, a long-delayed project aimed at closing gaps in gun laws across states and territories.

Officials say that reviewing gun laws is essential to maintaining public safety and preventing another tragedy like the Bondi shooting.