John Howard Says Gun Law Debate Is Distracting From a Bigger National Failure
Right now, there’s a heated national conversation unfolding in Australia, and at the centre of it is former prime minister John Howard, a man whose legacy is deeply tied to gun law reform. In the wake of the horrific Bondi attack, the federal government has moved quickly to reopen discussions about tightening gun laws even further. But Howard has stepped in with a blunt warning, saying this renewed push risks becoming an “attempted diversion” from what he believes is the real failure behind the tragedy.
Howard, who led the landmark gun reforms after the 1996 Port Arthur massacre, has made it clear that he is not opposed to sensible tightening of existing laws. In fact, it has been acknowledged by him that Australia was spared countless deaths over the past three decades because of those reforms. Entire classes of weapons were banned, buyback schemes were introduced, and strict licensing rules were enforced. For years, Australia was held up globally as proof that strong gun laws could save lives.
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However, Howard argues that the Bondi attack was not caused by weak gun legislation. According to him, the deeper issue has been a failure to confront rising antisemitism and the spread of extremist hatred. He has said that focusing too heavily on firearms now risks allowing leaders to avoid responsibility for addressing that broader social danger. In his view, the gun debate is being used as an excuse to sidestep uncomfortable conversations about hate, leadership, and moral clarity.
The former prime minister has been particularly critical of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, suggesting that stronger and more immediate leadership should have been shown after the October 7, 2023 attacks overseas. Howard believes a clear national stand against antisemitism, taken early and forcefully, could have set a different tone across the country. Instead, he says, Jewish communities were left feeling unsupported, while extremist sentiments were allowed to fester.
Meanwhile, national cabinet has agreed to consider a range of new measures. These include limiting gun ownership to citizens, capping the number of firearms an individual can own, restricting certain weapons further, and speeding up the creation of a national firearms register. There is also discussion around making gun licences time-limited rather than permanent. Supporters argue these steps will close loopholes and modernise enforcement.
Yet Howard’s message remains consistent. He has warned that while improving laws may be reasonable, it must not become a convenient distraction. Responsibility, he says, lies not only in legislation but in leadership, language, and the willingness to confront hatred head-on. As Australia mourns the victims of Bondi, the debate is no longer just about guns. It has become a larger reckoning over what leaders choose to prioritise when the nation is searching for answers.
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