Sydney – 15 December 2025 – Australian federal, state and territory leaders have unanimously agreed to strengthen the country’s already strict gun laws in response to the deadliest mass shooting in nearly three decades.
The decision was reached during an emergency National Cabinet meeting on Monday, one day after a father-and-son gunman opened fire on a Hanukkah celebration at Sydney’s Bondi Beach, killing at least 15 people and injuring more than 38 others. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese described the attack as an act of antisemitic terrorism and vowed that the government would take “whatever action is necessary” to prevent such tragedies in the future.
The shooters, identified as 50-year-old Sajid Akram (also reported as Naveed Akram), an Australian resident who arrived on a student visa in 1998 and held a recreational firearms licence with six registered weapons, and his 24-year-old Australian-born son, used legally owned firearms in the attack. The father was killed by police at the scene; the son remains in critical condition in hospital.
The incident occurred on the first night of Hanukkah during a community event near Bondi Pavilion. Witnesses described two gunmen dressed in black firing indiscriminately from a footbridge and promenade. Among the victims were a 10-year-old girl, a rabbi, and a Holocaust survivor. A Muslim bystander, Ahmed al-Ahmed, was hailed as a hero for tackling one of the gunmen despite being shot twice.
This is Australia’s worst mass shooting since the 1996 Port Arthur massacre, which killed 35 people and led to sweeping national gun reforms under then-Prime Minister John Howard, including a ban on semi-automatic rifles and shotguns, strict licensing requirements, and a large-scale firearm buyback.
Leaders agreed to renegotiate and strengthen the 1996 National Firearms Agreement. Proposed measures include limits on the number of firearms an individual can own, ending perpetual gun licences in favour of periodic reviews, stricter citizenship requirements for licences, tighter controls on high-capacity magazines and emerging technologies such as 3D-printed guns, and accelerating the rollout of a national firearms register.
New South Wales Premier Chris Minns indicated the state parliament could be recalled to pass urgent legislation and questioned whether recreational shooters need access to powerful weapons. Prime Minister Albanese emphasised that people’s circumstances can change over time, including the risk of radicalisation, and that licences must reflect current realities.
Flags flew at half-mast across the country on Monday, and vigils were held at Bondi Beach amid an outpouring of grief. More than A$1 million has been raised for the injured bystander Ahmed al-Ahmed.
Jewish community leaders described the attack as part of a disturbing rise in antisemitic incidents in Australia. The Prime Minister rejected claims linking the shooting to Australia’s recognition of Palestinian statehood.
Opposition Leader Sussan Ley supported the tougher laws but criticised the government over what she called a failure to address rising antisemitism.
As the nation mourns, the swift political consensus echoes the response to Port Arthur nearly 30 years ago, with leaders determined to ensure Australia’s strict gun control framework remains robust in the face of evolving threats.
