Australia has a reputation for strict gun laws. How did the Bondi Beach shooting happen?
A look at Australia’s gun laws as country mourns Bondi Beach victims
- The recent shooting at Bondi Beach has reignited a national debate in Australia regarding the country's gun control laws.
- Following the incident, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese convened an emergency meeting where all states and territories agreed to strengthen gun laws, considering limits on gun ownership, types of legal firearms, and making Australian citizenship a condition for holding a licence.
- Australia's current strict gun laws were largely established after the 1996 Port Arthur massacre, which resulted in 35 deaths and prompted then-Prime Minister John Howard to introduce a national ban on certain rapid-fire weapons and implement stringent registration and storage requirements.
- While these 1996 reforms significantly reduced mass gun violence, a January 2025 report revealed an increase in licensed firearms from 3.2 million in 1996 to over 4 million in 2024.
- The report also highlighted inconsistencies in state and territory gun regulations and the lack of updates to the National Firearms Agreement, with concerns raised about the proliferation of "straight-pull guns" as an alternative to restricted semi-automatic weapons.