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In the aftermath of the horrific attack at Bondi, Australia is confronting several pressing reckonings. There is a much-needed national spotlight on anti-Jewish sentiment, an persistent concern about national security, and questions about how such an tragedy could occur. But, as viewed of a health professional and Jewish Australian, the most important dialogue we are finally having revolves around firearms.

Ten Years of Warnings and a Successful Solution

Health specialists have been issuing warnings about firearms for at least a ten-year period. In the wake of the Port Arthur tragedy, Australians united and enacted a series of measures to reduce gun violence nationwide. And it worked. Prior to 1996, the nation witnessed roughly one mass shooting per year. Over the following years, there have been vanishingly few significant tragedies, with none reaching the fatalities of the incidents in the 1980s and 1990s.

This Recent Tragedy and the Role of Existing Regulations

Even during the Bondi events, the nation's firearm regulations were not entirely useless. Reports indicate the individuals involved might have been armed with bolt-action rifles and a straight-pull shotgun. These weapons are limited to firing a single bullet at a time, requiring a physical action to ready the next round. Although these guns are capable of being discharged rapidly 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 available.

Stopping another Bondi demands unity across all states. And unfortunately, we have already seen cracks in the facade.

Legislation Showing Weakness

However, the horrific toll of the attack reveals that existing gun laws are failing. Crafted in the late 1990s with the best of intentions, years have worn away their effectiveness. Alarmingly, there are currently a greater number of guns in Australia than before the Port Arthur shooting, with some citizens in cities reportedly holding collections of hundreds of weapons.

We have been overconfident and it has exacted a terrible price.

The Road Forward: Announced Reforms

Since the Bondi attack, there have been numerous announcements regarding new firearm legislation. New South Wales in particular will soon introduce 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 national firearms registry, notwithstanding the complexities of coordinating state and federal governments.

All of this are feasible provided that the nation works together. As stated, regarding gun control, the country is dependent on its weakest link. This is the very nature of the Australian federation – laws in one state are much less meaningful if they can be avoided with a journey across a border.

Countering Frequent Objections

We hear the inevitable argument that "guns don't kill people, people kill people". This is accurate in the identical way that aircraft do not fly passengers, aviators do. Yes, aircraft require operators, but it would be virtually impossible for a pilot to transport 500 people internationally without the plane. The horrific violence witnessed at Bondi would be all but impossible without guns, and would have been significantly less lethal if the alleged terrorists had been denied access to the weapons they used.

Balancing Necessity and Safety

It is acknowledged there are legitimate reasons for some Australians to possess guns. Farm work or controlling vermin in many places is incredibly hard without them. A complete removal of firearms from the country is not feasible, as in some cases they are essential tools.

What we can do – what we must do – is to guarantee that firearm legislation are updated 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 done its work and the nation is less secure as it previously was. It is vital to take the lessons of Bondi to heart, and ensure that future generations are equally safe as past generations have been.

As one commentator remarked after the Bondi events, "things like this just don't happen here". They don't, but solely due to the fact that the country has made concerted efforts to keep itself safe. As nightmarish as the incident was, there is an aspiration that it can become the final tragedy the nation ever sees.