Overview
- After an emergency National Cabinet meeting, federal, state and territory leaders agreed to strengthen gun laws, including caps on firearms per licence, time‑limited permits, a citizens‑only licensing rule and greater use of criminal intelligence in eligibility checks.
- Officials will accelerate work on a national firearms register, consider tighter rules on legal gun types and modifications, and review the National Firearms Agreement for today’s security environment.
- Police say at least 15 people were killed and more than 40 wounded when a father and son opened fire at a Hanukkah event on Bondi Beach, an attack leaders are treating as antisemitic terrorism.
- The 50‑year‑old father was shot dead by police and his 24‑year‑old son remains in hospital under guard; the father legally held six firearms believed to have been used, and Home Affairs said he was not an Australian citizen.
- Prime Minister Anthony Albanese disclosed ASIO examined the younger suspect for six months in 2019 and found no ongoing threat, while leaders praised bystander Ahmed al‑Ahmed for disarming one gunman during the attack.