Following the devastating terrorist attack at Bondi Beach that claimed 15 lives, shocking data has emerged showing a 'frightening concentration' of licensed firearms in Sydney's suburban areas. This revelation has triggered an urgent, nationwide pledge to reform Australia's gun control framework.
Metropolitan Arsenal: The Sydney Suburbs Data
An analysis of the New South Wales firearms registry reveals a startling picture of gun ownership in the state's capital. The top 100 licence-holders in NSW collectively own more than 13,000 weapons, with six of the top ten residing in suburban Sydney. These individuals are not registered collectors or dealers.
Approximately one third of the state's estimated one million firearms are located within major cities. The local government areas of Penrith, Hawkesbury, Canterbury-Bankstown, and Blacktown—some of the most populous regions—record the highest number of firearms in Sydney.
The issue was thrust into the spotlight after police confirmed that one of the alleged Bondi attackers, 50-year-old Sajid Akram, held a firearm licence and legally owned six weapons. He was shot dead by police during the attack. His licence, a 'category A/B', permitted him to possess long arms similar to those used in the massacre.
National Cabinet Agrees on 'Decisive Action' for Reform
In response to the tragedy, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced that the national cabinet has resolved to take 'strong, decisive and focused action' on gun law reform. This includes renegotiating the National Firearms Agreement, first established after the 1996 Port Arthur massacre.
Potential changes under consideration include:
- Limiting the number of firearms a single person can own.
- Restricting firearm licences to Australian citizens only.
- Ending open-ended firearms licensing in favour of time-limited permits.
- Removing recreational hunting as a valid 'genuine reason' for a licence.
NSW Premier Chris Minns has vowed to introduce legislation to make accessing powerful weapons more difficult, particularly for those not involved in primary industries like farming. "If you're not a farmer, you're not involved in agriculture, why do you need these massive weapons?" Minns asked.
Systemic Failures and the Push for a National Register
The case has exposed concerning gaps in the system. It was disclosed that the alleged attacker's 24-year-old son, Naveed Akram, had been examined by the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) in 2019 over associations with others. However, he was assessed as posing no ongoing threat.
Critics argue this information should have impacted the father's gun licence. Sue Higginson, the Greens' NSW justice spokesperson, called it 'unfathomable' that a licence and six firearms were granted under these circumstances, stating "that is a system that is not working."
The slow progress on a promised national firearm register, first recommended after Port Arthur, has also drawn fierce criticism. Alex Caruana, President of the Australian Federal Police Association, argued that a robust, real-time national database accessible to security agencies might have allowed for a dynamic risk assessment of the licence holder.
Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon confirmed the older attacker had held a clean licence since 2015, obtained through recreational hunting and gun club membership—a common pathway to licensure in Australia. The impending crackdown on licensed owners is expected to face significant resistance from gun lobby groups as the government moves to tighten what it sees as a dangerously permissive system.
