Bondi Beach Shooting: Why A Country With Strict Gun Laws Is Now Talking About Even Tougher Rules

Last Updated:December 15, 2025, 15:13 IST

The mass shooting at Sydney’s Bondi Beach has exposed weaknesses in a system once seen as a global model, forcing a closer look at how Australia’s gun laws work and what may change

Mourners place flowers at a memorial at Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia December 15, 2025. (AAP/Bianca De Marchi via REUTERS)

Australia’s mass shooting has reopened a conversation many thought had been settled. On Sunday, a father and son opened fire at a Jewish celebration at Sydney’s Bondi Beach, killing 15 people, including a ten-year-old girl. One of the gunmen, 50-year-old Sajid Akram, was shot dead by police at the scene, while his 24-year-old son, Naveed Akram, is in hospital under police guard.

Reuters reported that police were investigating what they called a terrorist attack on Sydney’s waterfront. The scale of the violence has forced the country to confront whether its gun laws, long considered among the toughest in the world, are still adequate.

The attack has drawn attention not only because of its brutality, but because the father had been a licensed gun holder for a decade. New South Wales Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon said the licence was regulated and that there had been “no incidents" associated with it. Six registered firearms belonging to him were recovered from the scene. CNN reported that he had a licence specifying that the weapon could only be used for recreational purposes.

For many Australians, the idea that a legally licensed individual could possess multiple weapons and carry out such an attack raises deeper questions about how the system works, how it is enforced, and what reforms may now be required.

How Bondi Shooting Has Reopened Australia’s Gun Control Debate

Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the government was “prepared to take whatever action is necessary," adding, “People can be radicalised over a period of time, licences should not be in perpetuity." He said he would take a proposal for tougher gun laws to the Cabinet meeting later today.

New South Wales Premier Chris Minns said he would consider recalling parliament to fast-track changes, stating, “We need to make sure the firearms legislation in New South Wales is fit for purpose. That does mean restricting firearms for the general public." He added, “But not everybody needs these weapons of mass destruction. You don’t need them on New South Wales streets. So we’ll be looking at change."

How Australia’s Gun Laws Were Built

Australia’s reputation for strict gun control stems from the sweeping reforms introduced after the 1996 Port Arthur massacre, when a lone gunman killed 35 people. Within 12 days, the government led by Prime Minister John Howard announced the Firearms Agreement (NFA), a coordinated set of measures adopted by federal, state and territory governments to restrict access to certain weapons and tighten licensing and registration rules.

The NFA banned several categories of firearms, including semi-automatic rifles, introduced a national buyback for newly prohibited weapons, implemented a 28-day waiting period for firearm purchases, and strengthened licensing rules, including prohibiting licences for those under 18. It also envisaged the creation of a Firearms Register, intended to provide a unified record of gun ownership across the country.

But nearly three decades later, key parts of the NFA remain incomplete. According to a May 2025 report by The Australia Institute, while the agreement was reaffirmed in 2017, several provisions remain unimplemented, including the register itself. The report also noted that states and territories have developed their own systems for administering gun ownership, resulting in uneven implementation of the NFA.

Under the current framework, licensing rules apply nationwide: applicants must provide a “genuine reason" to possess a firearm, such as recreational shooting, hunting or occupational need, and must register each weapon. But the rules differ across jurisdictions. In several states and territories, for instance, minors are allowed to “possess and use" firearms under supervision, despite the NFA’s intention that gun ownership be restricted to adults.

The number of registered firearms has risen steadily over the past two decades. The report found that Australia now has more than four million registered privately owned guns, higher than the total before the 1996 reforms, and highlighted that variations in state laws can undermine efforts to maintain uniform national standards.

What The Bondi Attack Reveals About The Current System

The Bondi Beach shooting has shifted attention from long-standing structural issues to the immediate realities of how the present system operates. The Firearms Register, envisioned under the NFA, still does not exist. Work began only in 2023 on a four-year program to merge state and territory records.

PM Albanese acknowledged the challenge of integrating disparate systems, saying, “In some cases, some state jurisdictions still had paper identification. That was what we were dealing with." He said the government would accelerate efforts to build the register and that “if there’s more that can be done, we will do it."

The attack has also sharpened concerns about oversight, enforcement and licensing checks. CNN cited Australian Institute of Criminology data showing 31 gun-related murders in Australia in the 12-month period ending June 2024, reflecting a homicide rate of 0.09 per 100,000 people.

What Changes Are Being Considered Now

The political appetite for reform is substantial. Albanese said he would ask Cabinet to consider limits on the number of firearms permitted under a licence and how long licences should last. He emphasised the need for ongoing reviews, saying, “Licences should not be in perpetuity." He also said the government would take proposals to Cabinet and “empower agencies to examine what can be done in this area." He added, “If we need to toughen these up, if there’s anything we can do, I’m certainly up for it."

Minns has likewise signalled major changes for NSW. He said, “It’s time we have a change to the law in relation to the firearms legislation," and that he was prepared to recall parliament if needed. ABC reported that the federal opposition has also expressed willingness to support legislative changes, with Shadow Home Affairs Minister Jonno Duniam saying, “Whatever needs to happen, the opposition will back in the government to make sure it doesn’t happen again."

Albanese intends to accelerate work on the Firearms Register and review how individuals acquire and maintain licences.

The Road Ahead

Investigations into the Bondi attack are ongoing, but the political and regulatory consequences are already taking shape. Leaders across federal and state governments have signalled urgency in reassessing licensing rules, and accelerating the long-delayed Firearms Register. Nearly 30 years after Port Arthur, the shooting has reopened fundamental questions about whether a system built for an earlier era can keep pace with evolving risks.

Australia’s gun control framework has long been cited internationally as an example of swift, decisive reform. The Bondi attack has shown that even a system regarded as robust requires constant vigilance, full implementation and regular review. Whether the upcoming changes will close the gaps that have now become visible will depend on how quickly and comprehensively governments act.

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