Australia has long been heralded as a world leader in gun safety. But have we grown complacent? And is domestic violence sufficiently brought into these efforts?
When Walter Mikac speaks about gun laws, Australia should listen. Nearly three decades ago, his wife Nanette and daughters, Alannah and Madeline, were killed in the Port Arthur massacre. Since then, Mikac has been a leading voice for gun reform. This week, he warned that the NSW government’s proposed hunting bill would take “a jackhammer” to Australia’s world-leading gun control framework. NSW is considering legislation that gun-safety experts fear will loosen access under the guise of recognising hunting rights. Established after the Port Arthur massacre in 1996, the national firearms agreement asserts that gun ownership is a privilege, not a right.
But let’s be clear: Australia is by no means lacking in firearms. The Australia Institute has shown that gun ownership has been creeping upwards again in recent years, despite the lessons of Port Arthur. Civilian-owned firearms now exceed 4 million (more than 25 percent higher than in 1996), or roughly one for every seven Australians. A third of NSW firearms are held in major cities, with two individuals in suburban Sydney owning more than 300 firearms each. Western Australia is the only state with a cap on the number of firearms per licence, and NSW is the only state with comprehensive public data.
People in New South Wales are in no danger of losing their guns. The real danger lies in sustained lobbying efforts to dismantle decades of progress in gun safety. Earlier this year, the president of Shooters Union Australia claimed that they are ‘winning’ the fight against gun control.
So the question naturally follows: who, then, is losing?
There is also no shortage of horrific tragedies involving firearms across the country. As I write, a critical incident is unfolding in Porepunkah, Victoria. A man is reportedly at large after allegedly shooting and killing two police officers and wounding another, while officers were executing a warrant relating to historical sex abuse allegations. His wife and two children were initially unaccounted for.
The stakes are life-or-death for those experiencing domestic abuse, especially in regional areas. Victim-survivors face isolation from services and the higher prevalence of firearms. The dangers aren’t abstract — they’re clear in the stories of women I meet in my outreach work with 4 Voices, supporting women in crisis. Some have fled volatile situations involving firearms, often with little support and few safe places to turn.
The reality is simple and crucial: guns in volatile situations make violence more likely to turn deadly. And domestic violence must be brought into view when we talk about gun safety.
In February 2024, former NSW police officer Beau Lamarre-Condon allegedly shot and killed his ex-partner Jesse Baird and Baird’s partner, Luke Davies, using his police-issued Glock pistol. He pleaded not guilty in court this week, and the case is ongoing. Although he has not been convicted, the allegations highlight the risks when firearms are misused in domestic abuse contexts—even when tightly regulated and issued to trained professionals.
This tragedy followed years of calls from advocates to close the gaps between domestic violence policy and gun safety. Back in 2021, anti-violence organisations welcomed proposed reforms in NSW to restrict access for perpetrators. And those safety nets are just as crucial today.
In Western Australia, the government introduced tighter firearm regulations last year in response to the murders of Jennifer and Gretl Petelczyc by Mark Bombara. His daughter, Ariel Bombara, has become one of the state’s most powerful new advocates for reform. She gave repeated warnings to police about the “real and imminent threat” from her father, and about the firearms that he owned. The WA government responded with significant reforms, giving police powers to immediately seize firearms when domestic violence is reported, alongside new limits on gun ownership, mandatory training, and tougher storage requirements.
Regulation is not about simply taking away everyone’s guns. It’s about ensuring safety and accountability. Yet decades after Port Arthur, a national firearms register is still in the works, and firearm laws remain inconsistent across states and territories. The lessons from WA, from Port Arthur, and from every domestic violence homicide linked to firearms are the same: strong gun laws save lives. Of course, these reforms don’t eliminate violence altogether, but gun control should remain a strong pillar of violence prevention. To weaken it now risks undermining other efforts to address domestic and family violence, and the safety of the very people prevention efforts are meant to protect. It’s not just contradictory—it is dangerous.
At a time when governments are purporting to foreground violence prevention, they should at least avoid taking steps in the opposite direction.
If you or someone you know is experiencing, or at risk of experiencing, domestic, family or sexual violence call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732, chat online via 1800RESPECT.org.au or text 0458 737 732.
If you are concerned about your behaviour or use of violence, you can contact the Men’s Referral Service on 1300 766 491 or visit www.ntv.org.au.
Feeling worried or no good? No shame, no judgement, safe place to yarn. Speak to a 13YARN Crisis Supporter, call 13 92 76. This service is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
In an emergency, call 000.