The Bondi beach terror attack will force Australia to revisit its 'gold standard' gun laws

For almost three decades, Australia’s gun laws have been recognised as among the most stringent - and effective - in the world.

- Sarah Martin

The aftermath of the shooting in Sydney. Gun safety experts have been warning of complacency in Australia

(JESSICA HROMAS/THE GUARDIAN)

After the horror of the 1996 Port Arthur massacre that killed 35 people in Tasmania, Australia’s then conservative government stared down the gun lobby to introduce restrictions that led to a dramatic decrease in the number of guns.

In an almost unprecedented display of national collaboration, the federal government worked with the states to restrict semiautomatic weapons, toughen up licensing requirements and introduce a new requirement for gun holders to demonstrate a “genuine reason” for ownership.

Australians have been rightly proud of these reforms, confident that the community remains relatively safe from gun violence and far from the American reality of frequent mass shootings.