Unfinished Reform: Could Stricter Gun Laws Have Prevented the Bondi Attack?

Key Takeaways:

• A national firearms register, which would track weapons across Australia in real time, remains unfinished nearly 30 years after it was first proposed.
• The Australian Federal Police Association president believes a robust national firearms database could have helped prevent the recent Bondi beach terror attack.
• The rollout of the national firearms register has missed key milestones due to poor resourcing and record-keeping at some state registries.
• The Australian government has announced a range of potential changes to gun laws, including limiting the number of firearms individuals can own and issuing licenses only to citizens.
• A national gun buyback scheme has been announced, the largest since the one initiated by the Howard government in 1996.

Introduction to the National Firearms Register
The concept of a national firearms register has been a topic of discussion in Australia for nearly three decades. The idea was first proposed after the 1996 Port Arthur massacre, which resulted in the deaths of 35 people. The register was intended to track weapons across the country in real time, providing law enforcement with a valuable tool to assess the risk posed by individuals and prevent similar tragedies from occurring. However, despite its importance, the register remains unfinished, and its rollout has been hindered by poor resourcing and record-keeping at some state registries.

The Need for a National Firearms Database
The recent Bondi beach terror attack has highlighted the need for a robust national firearms database. The Australian Federal Police Association president, Alex Caruana, believes that such a database could have helped prevent the attack by allowing authorities to better assess the risk posed by the perpetrators. Caruana criticized the slow progress on the register and emphasized the need for it to track ammunition sales. The lack of a national firearms database has been identified as a significant gap in Australia’s gun control measures, and its implementation is seen as essential to preventing similar attacks in the future.

Milestones Missed
The rollout of the national firearms register has missed several key milestones. A plan for the register was finally signed off on by states and territories in 2023, after the 2022 shooting of two police officers and a neighbor in Wieambilla, Queensland. However, the register is not expected to be fully operational until mid-2028. The process has been hampered by poor resourcing and record-keeping at some state registries, with some states still using paper-based systems. The Australian government has provided over $100 million to states and territories to enable them to digitize their systems, but more work needs to be done to ensure the register is fully operational as soon as possible.

Challenges in Implementing the Register
The implementation of the national firearms register faces several challenges. One of the main challenges is the lack of digitization of firearms registration systems in some states. The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, has acknowledged that some state governments still have paper processes for the registration of firearms, making it impossible to check if a person is licensed to own a gun. The Victorian police minister, Anthony Carbines, has stated that the goal is to have a coordinated, harmonized register, but different states and territories have different arrangements and levels of capacity. The government has announced plans to accelerate the rollout of the register, but it will require significant investment and cooperation from all states and territories.

Gun Control Measures
The Australian government has announced a range of potential changes to gun laws in response to the Bondi beach terror attack. These include limiting the number of firearms individuals can own and issuing licenses only to citizens. The government has also announced a national gun buyback scheme, the largest since the one initiated by the Howard government in 1996. The scheme aims to reduce the number of firearms in circulation and prevent them from falling into the wrong hands. The government has also proposed removing appeal rights for individuals who are denied a firearms license, making it easier for authorities to refuse licenses to those who pose a risk to the community.

Effectiveness of Australia’s Gun Control Measures
The effectiveness of Australia’s gun control measures is a matter of debate. While the country has implemented some of the strictest gun control laws in the world, there are still gaps in the system. The lack of a national firearms register is a significant gap, and its implementation is seen as essential to preventing similar attacks in the future. The government has also proposed changes to licensing laws to allow for the use of non-disclosable information in determining gun licenses. This would enable authorities to take into account intelligence from agencies such as ASIO when assessing an individual’s suitability to own a gun. Overall, while Australia’s gun control measures have been effective in reducing the number of gun-related deaths, there is still more work to be done to ensure the safety of the community.

Conclusion
In conclusion, the national firearms register is a critical component of Australia’s gun control measures, and its implementation is long overdue. The recent Bondi beach terror attack has highlighted the need for a robust national firearms database, and the government has announced plans to accelerate the rollout of the register. However, the process faces several challenges, including poor resourcing and record-keeping at some state registries. The government has also proposed changes to gun laws, including limiting the number of firearms individuals can own and issuing licenses only to citizens. The effectiveness of Australia’s gun control measures is a matter of debate, but it is clear that more work needs to be done to ensure the safety of the community.