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In the aftermath of the horrific attack at Bondi, Australia is confronting multiple critical reckonings. There is a much-needed national spotlight on anti-Jewish sentiment, an persistent concern about national security, and inquiries about the way such an event could happen. But, from the perspective of a public health expert and Jewish Australian, the most important discussion we are now having revolves around firearms.

Ten Years of Warnings and a Proven Solution

Health experts have been issuing warnings about guns for at least a decade. Following the events of the Port Arthur tragedy, Australians united and implemented a series of reforms to curb gun violence across the country. The strategy succeeded. Prior to 1996, the nation experienced approximately one large-scale firearm incident per year. Over the following years, there have been extremely rare significant tragedies, with none approaching the death toll of the shootings in the 1980s and 1990s.

The Bondi Attack and the Role of Current Laws

Amidst the Bondi tragedy, the nation's gun laws were not entirely useless. Reports indicate the individuals involved possessed with bolt-action rifles and at least one straight-pull shotgun. These weapons can only fire a one round at a time, necessitating a manual operation to chamber the subsequent shot. While these guns can be fired quite quickly with devastating effect, they remain significantly less rapid and more cumbersome than the high-capacity, self-loading rifles frequently used in overseas mass shootings. The casualty count at Bondi would've been far higher if more advanced firearms had been accessible.

Preventing another Bondi requires national cohesion. And unfortunately, there are already fissures in the united front.

Legislation Under Strain

Yet, the horrific consequences of the incident reveals that existing gun laws are inadequate. Designed in the late 1990s with the noblest aims, years have worn away their effectiveness. Alarmingly, there are now a greater number of guns in Australia than prior to the Port Arthur shooting, with some citizens in cities reportedly holding arsenals numbering in the hundreds.

The nation has grown complacent and it has cost us terribly.

The Road Ahead: Announced Changes

In the time after the Bondi tragedy, there have been multiple announcements regarding strengthened gun laws. New South Wales in particular will shortly introduce a package of reforms to reduce the collective risk from firearms. The federal government has announced a fresh gun buyback, and there is potential for a countrywide gun database, notwithstanding the complexities 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 only as strong as its weakest link. This is the reality of the Australian system – laws in one state are much less meaningful if they can be bypassed with a journey across a state line.

Countering Frequent Arguments

We hear the predictable argument that "guns don't kill people, people kill people". This is true in the identical way that aircraft do not fly passengers, pilots do. Certainly, planes can't fly themselves, but it would be virtually impossible for a captain to move 500 people internationally without the plane. 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 been denied access to the firearms they used.

Weighing Necessity and Safety

There are legitimate needs for some Australians to possess guns. Farm work or controlling vermin in many places is extremely difficult without them. A complete removal of guns from the country is impractical, as in some cases they are indispensable.

The achievable goal – the imperative action – is to guarantee that firearm legislation are modernized to accurately reflect the society we live in today. Australia's laws have long 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 critical to learn from the tragedy of Bondi to heart, and ensure that coming Australians are as protected as previous 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 made concerted efforts to maintain its security. As nightmarish as the incident was, there is an aspiration that it can become the last one the nation experiences.