A recent mass shooting in Bondi, Australia, has prompted renewed scrutiny of the nation’s gun control laws, revealing potential loopholes that allowed the legal ownership of firearms used in the attack. The incident, which killed 15 people and wounded 40 others, involved a straight-pull shotgun, a type of weapon that had largely flown under the radar of previous regulations.
Bondi Beach Shooting and Gun Control Debate
Following the 1996 Port Arthur massacre, Australia enacted significant gun control reforms under Prime Minister John Howard. For nearly three decades, these reforms prevented the mass shootings seen in the United States. However, the attack on the Jewish community in Bondi highlighted vulnerabilities in the existing legislation.
Footage from the Bondi Beach shooting showed Sajid Akram firing his shotgun multiple times without reloading, raising questions about the capacity and rate of fire of legally owned weapons. Former Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull expressed surprise that pump-action shotguns were apparently accessible, stating, “I thought pump-action shotguns were not available.”
- Australia’s 1996 gun control reforms categorized firearms into categories A through H, with restrictions based on capacity and intended use.
- In 2015, the Nioa company sought to import high-capacity lever-action shotguns, prompting debate and ultimately leading to their classification as Category B or D depending on capacity.
- Straight-pull shotguns, which emerged around 2018, were classified as Category A or B in New South Wales, and are now under review for stricter regulation.
The 1996 reforms focused heavily on pump-action shotguns, which were the dominant rapid-fire weapon at the time. The system aimed to balance public safety with the needs of farmers, hunters, and sporting shooters. Category C licenses were tightly restricted, allowing access to limited-capacity shotguns for specific purposes, while Category D held the most dangerous weapons, primarily for law enforcement and pest control.
A key issue arose in 2015 when Nioa announced plans to import 7000 lever-action shotguns. Despite having a capacity of eight rounds, some argued they were less dangerous than pump-action models. The eight-round-capacity guns were ultimately placed in the restricted Category D, while five-shot versions were classified as Category B.
More recently, straight-pull shotguns, featuring a side-mounted handle, entered the market with little attention. These fell into either Category A or B in New South Wales. Investigators believe the weapon used by Sajid Akram was a straight-pull shotgun.
In response to the Bondi shooting, New South Wales Premier Chris Minns announced that straight-pull shotguns would be moved to a more restricted category, and the government would explore limiting shotgun magazine capacity. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese subsequently announced a national buyback scheme targeting newly banned firearms.
As of this year, NSW government data shows fewer than 600 civilians hold Category D licenses, and 15,000 hold Category C licenses. Approximately 250,000 people in New South Wales possess Category A and B licenses, including Sajid Akram.
The focus now is on closing loopholes and ensuring that new types of firearms do not circumvent existing laws. Many Australians are questioning why high-capacity, rapid-fire shotguns could be legally imported by simply altering the loading mechanism, and are demanding greater vigilance in future legislative reviews.
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