Why can someone in suburbia own 6 guns legally? |
Australians have watched on in horror as more details have come to light about the shooters in the Bondi terror attacks.
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As people grapple with the tragedy, many wonder how such a thing could have happened in a country that has long prided itself on its tough gun laws.
The 50-year-old father, Sajid Akram, and 24-year-old son, Naveed Akram, had six guns. Police confirmed all of them were registered firearms. The father, who was fatally shot by police, had a recreational hunting licence and was a member of a gun club.
National cabinet has since committed to a raft of new gun laws, including renegotiating the National Firearms Agreement, caps on the amount of firearms any one person can own and limiting open-ended licensing.
So how easy is it to get a gun in Australia currently, and how might the reforms work?
Gun control laws vary slightly in each state and territory, but are broadly similar. We'll look here at the laws in NSW.
The first step is to apply for a firearms licence. As part of this, authorities will conduct a background check to ensure there's no criminal history, including mental health orders or domestic violence charges.
The applicant must also pass the "fit and proper person" test. NSW police says this test checks someone is "of good character, law abiding, honest, and shows good judgement".
If these standards are met, a firearms licence is granted.
But in order to actually buy a firearm, people must apply for a "permit to acquire". This is linked to the specific firearm they'd like to purchase.
If it's their first gun, there's a 28-day waiting period before they can have it in their possession. Subsequent guns do not need a waiting period as long as it's in the same category they already........