Australia's gun laws explained after Bondi Beach shooting leaves 15 dead
The country already has some of the strictest gun laws in the world
These are Australia's gun laws, as Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has vowed to further tighten them following Sunday's mass shooting.
It's believed 15 people have died and dozens have been injured after two gunmen opened fire at Bondi Beach in Sydney on December 14.
More than 1,000 people had gathered to celebrate the Jewish holiday, Hanukkah.
According to police, the gunmen stood on a footbridge connecting the Campbell Parade to the Bondi Pavilion, supposedly using the vantage point to fire shots and directly target members of the Jewish community.
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The youngest victim has been identified as 10-year-old Matilda, while a former police officer and a Holocaust survivor are also among the fatalities.
The two alleged gunmen have been identified as 50-year-old Sajid Akram and his 24-year-old son Naveed Akram.
The former has died, while Naveed is said to be in critical condition.
Sajid was granted a firearms license for recreational hunting and was believed to have been a member of a gun club, reports the BBC.
Now, Albanese has suggested new restrictions which include a limit on the number of guns a licensed owner can have.
"The government is prepared to take whatever action is necessary. Included in that is the need for tougher gun laws," Albanese said.
"People’s circumstances can change. People can be radicalized over a period of time. Licenses should not be in perpetuity."
What are Australia's gun laws?
Australia has some of the tightest gun restrictions in the world.
They were overhauled after the 1996 Port Arthur massacre, in which 35 people were killed.
The core of Australia’s gun law framework is called the National Firearms Agreement (NFA).
It was agreed by federal and state governments that same year and sets minimum national standards for gun control.
It introduced required licensing of all gun owners, strict controls on importation and sales and created a gun buy-back program that removed hundreds of thousands of firearms from circulation.
To own a firearm legally in Australia, a person must hold a license issued by their state or territory police and be over the age of 18.
They must also demonstrate a 'genuine reason' for owning it, which could be for hunting, sport shooting or farming. Self-defence is not a legitimate reason.
Firearm owners must also complete safety training and background checks, which take into account their criminal and medical histories.
All guns must be registered to their owners by serial number.
There are also strict safe storage requirements; firearms must be kept in locked cabinets that meet legal standards, and ammunition is stored separately.
Certain types of guns, especially automatic and many semi-automatic weapons, are generally prohibited for private ownership, except under very limited circumstances.
Topics: Australia, World News, Gun Crime
Ellie Kemp