Sydney, Australia, December 15 (ANI): Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Monday said tougher gun laws would be taken up at a National Cabinet meeting, signaling a possible tightening of Australia’s already strict firearms regulations following the deadly antisemitic terror attack at Sydney’s Bondi Beach.
Speaking to the media ahead of the meeting scheduled for 4:00 p.m. local time, Albanese said stricter gun controls, including limits on the number of firearms licensed to individuals and periodic reviews of licenses, would be placed on the agenda.
“This afternoon, at four o’clock, I will put on the agenda of the National Cabinet tougher gun laws, including limits on the number of guns that can be used or licensed by individuals, and a review of licenses over a period of time,” he said.
Stressing the need for continuous oversight, the prime minister added that people’s circumstances can change and individuals can become radicalized over time, noting that licenses should not be granted in perpetuity.
Albanese said the federal government would present a proposal aimed at strengthening monitoring mechanisms and empowering agencies to examine what further measures could be taken in this area.
Later in the day, Albanese convened the National Cabinet in response to what he described as an act of terror and antisemitism in Bondi. In a post on X, he said the government stood with Jewish Australians and against hatred and violence, adding that Australia was stronger than those who seek to divide it.
The attack targeted members of the Jewish community gathered to mark Hanukkah celebrations at Bondi Beach, according to CNN. Authorities have declared the incident a terrorist attack. New South Wales Health said 27 people remain hospitalized across Sydney after being injured in the mass shooting.
Investigators said the attack was carried out by a father and son. Police shot and killed the father at the scene, while the 24-year-old son is undergoing treatment in a hospital. Officials said the son, who was born in Australia, had previously been assessed by the country’s domestic intelligence agency, ASIO, which found no indication at the time that he posed a threat of engaging in violence. The father, who arrived in Australia in 1998, held a recreational hunting license and was a member of a gun club.
New South Wales Premier Chris Minns has vowed an “overwhelming” response to the attack, as security remains heightened nationwide.
Australia already enforces some of the toughest gun laws in the world, introduced nearly three decades ago after a mass shooting in Tasmania killed 35 people. That tragedy prompted sweeping reforms, sharply restricting gun ownership and introducing strict licensing rules. Official data from the Australian Institute of Criminology shows that between July 2023 and June 2024, Australia recorded 31 gun-related murders, translating to a homicide rate of 0.09 per 100,000 people.
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