Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has declared he is "ready for the fight" to strengthen Australia's firearm regulations in the wake of the Bondi Junction terror attack, setting the stage for a political battle as the gun lobby and the National party mount significant resistance.
A Clash of Priorities: Guns vs. Ideology
The push for reform follows the shocking incident at Westfield Bondi Junction, where questions have been raised about how the alleged attacker, Sajid Akram, held a firearms licence and owned six guns. This is despite his son, fellow alleged shooter Naveed Akram, having been previously investigated by security agencies.
However, the proposed crackdown is being framed by opponents as a misguided diversion. Nationals leader David Littleproud argued forcefully that "this isn't a gun problem, it's an ideology problem." He and others contend the government should focus its energy on combating the rise of antisemitism, which they identify as the root cause of the attack.
Echoing this sentiment, former Liberal Prime Minister John Howard, architect of the landmark Port Arthur reforms, said the gun law debate was "a diversion." He asserted that "the issue here is antisemitism" and criticised the Albanese government's response to it over the past two years.
Proposed Reforms and a Patchwork System
At a meeting of national cabinet, federal and state leaders agreed to investigate several key areas for gun law reform. These include:
- Limiting the number and types of weapons an individual can own.
- Reviewing licensing procedures, with better sharing of criminal intelligence between agencies when assessing applications.
- Restricting gun licences to Australian citizens only.
The need for a cohesive national approach was highlighted by the stark differences between state and territory laws. Licensing renewal periods vary widely, and some jurisdictions still rely on outdated paper-based systems. NSW Premier Chris Minns emphasised the system is "only as strong as its weakest link," while Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan stressed the need for states to "act as one nationally" with urgency.
A critical part of the reform is the acceleration of a long-awaited national firearms register, first recommended after the 1996 Port Arthur massacre. However, the federal government's work on the system won't be finished until late 2026, with some states facing further delays before they can integrate with it.
Voices For and Against Tighter Controls
The debate has drawn powerful voices from Australia's history of gun violence. Walter Mikac, whose wife and two daughters were killed at Port Arthur, backed the Prime Minister's stance. "Honouring those killed at Bondi beach... requires courage and a renewed commitment to public safety as the guiding principle of our firearm laws," he said.
Conversely, shooting groups have promised fierce opposition. Graham Park, President of the Shooters Union Australia, called the push a "disgraceful and embarrassing attempt... to distract from the failings" and predicted "massive pushback" from the nation's licensed firearm owners.
Tom Kenyon, CEO of the Sporting Shooters’ Association, supported the citizenship prerequisite but dismissed limits on firearm numbers as "an artificial attempt to show that you’re doing something." Shadow home affairs minister Jonno Duniam warned that changing gun laws would not stamp out antisemitism, the alleged driver of the attack, noting terrorists could simply use other weapons.
As the political fight takes shape, the core question remains whether the response to the Bondi tragedy should centre on the tools of violence or the ideologies that motivate it, with the government now steeling itself for a protracted battle on both fronts.
