Australian Prime Minister credits ‘Strict Gun Regulations’ for preventing casualties in Bondi assault.
According to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, “If it was an automatic gun, then we would have been speaking about hundreds of deaths.”
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese praised the country’s “strong gun laws” for preventing numerous deaths in the recent Bondi stabbing attack.
On Saturday April 13 at the Westfield Bondi Junction Shopping Centre in Sydney’s eastern suburbs, Joel Cauchi, a knife-wielding man, killed six people and injured 12 others.
During an interview on ABC Sydney radio, Mr. Albanese suggested that the attack would have been more catastrophic if the perpetrator had a gun.
The prime minister concurred with a radio host who expressed gratitude for the restricted availability of guns in Australia compared to other countries, stating that the situation could have been worse.
Albanese emphasized, “There’s no question that that is the case. This man wielded a deadly weapon in the form of a knife.
“But if it was an automatic gun, then we would have been speaking about hundreds of deaths.”
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Albanese also promoted Australia’s strict gun laws and announced plans for a national firearms register.
“It is an important reminder of how crucial it is to have strong gun laws in this country,” stated Mr. Albanese.
“Just this year as well, we are getting a national firearms register that will provide police and the authorities with further necessary information and complete the work that people, the Howard Government with the support of, importantly, Tim Fisher, who showed great courage as leader of the National Party, and Kim Beazley as leader of the Labor Party, but also the work of people like Walter Mikac, who lost his wife and children in the Port Arthur Massacre.”
Debate on Security at Shopping Centres
The prime minister refrained from discussing increasing security at shopping centers but mentioned a review would be conducted to assess the response in the future.
“I think now’s the time to express our condolences for those who have suffered. There will be a time for an appropriate, considered response to any security lessons that need to be learnt from an incident such as this,” Mr. Albanese expressed.
“An incident like this will provoke a necessary review that should be done in a considered way, based upon a proper assessment.”
Many individuals from different areas frequented the shopping center, which was a central meeting place in the eastern suburbs.
According to the police, Mr. Cauchi, a 40-year-old with a history of mental health problems, had recently moved from Queensland to Sydney before the attack.
The victims included Ashlee Good, Dawn Singleton, Jade Young, Pikria Darchia, Faraz Tahir, and Yixuan Cheng.
Flags at government buildings were flying at half mast to honor the victims, with New South Wales Premier Chris Minns stating, “Our community is in mourning.”
Harriet, a baby stabbed during the incident, has transitioned from critical condition to serious, according to NSW health minister Ryan Park.
Online Debate About Gun Laws Sparked
The incident has sparked international discussions about gun laws in Australia compared to other countries.
Kos Samaras, a former Victorian Labor strategist at RedBridge Group, generated over 80,000 views on a post regarding the topic.
“I see some conservative American commentators are suggesting we should have their gun law freedoms. ‘It may have prevented the stabbing deaths,’” he posted to X.
This register will consolidate information about firearm ownership from all states and territories in Australia into a central hub.
The announcement came after a National Cabinet meeting between state and territory leaders and the prime minister.
On December 6, Mr. Albanese emphasized that the reform would enhance the safety of Australia’s first responders and community, describing it as the “most significant improvement in Australia’s firearms management systems” in nearly three decades.
“While Australia has some of the strongest firearms laws in the world, the register will address significant gaps and inconsistencies with the way firearms are managed across all jurisdictions,” Mr. Albanese said in a statement at the time.
He further added that the register will function as a federated model, connecting state data to a central hub to enable real-time data sharing across the country.
The federal government will support the states in funding these reforms to ensure long-lasting benefits for future generations.
