Australia clamps down on guns after deadly tragedy
Availability of weapons (Illustrative photo: Getty Images)
Following the mass shooting at Bondi Beach, the Australian government is preparing a radical tightening of national firearms laws, according to AP.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced plans to strengthen national gun control legislation after the mass shooting at Bondi Beach in Sydney, which left at least 15 people dead and dozens injured.
The tragedy occurred during Hanukkah, a traditional Jewish holiday, with hundreds of people gathered, including children and elderly individuals. Among the victims were a 10-year-old child, a rabbi, and a man who survived the Holocaust. At least 38 injured people were hospitalized.
On Monday, national flags were flown at half-mast across Australia, and hundreds of people visited Bondi Beach to lay flowers and honor the victims.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese stated that the government is prepared to take all necessary measures, including limiting the number of firearms a licensed owner can possess and reviewing the licensing system itself.
“People’s circumstances can change. People can be radicalized over a period of time. Licenses should not be in perpetuity,” the prime minister emphasized.
According to police, the shooting was carried out by a father and son. The elder was killed during a special operation, while the younger was injured and is hospitalized. Authorities confirmed that the father legally owned six firearms and held a valid license, allowing him to purchase rifles and shotguns for target shooting and recreational hunting.
The incident is the deadliest mass shooting in Australia in nearly 30 years, despite the country having some of the strictest gun control laws in the world, implemented after the Port Arthur massacre in 1996.
Mass shooting at Bondi Beach, Sydney
On Sunday, December 14, 2025, a mass shooting occurred at the famous Bondi Beach in Sydney during a Hanukkah event, resulting in dozens of deaths and injuries. The Australian police have classified the attack as a terrorist act and an act of anti-Semitism.
