Gun related violence rose and rapidly declined in the 80's. Our government took each mass shooting case seriously and restrictions were made tighter and tigher on fire-arm use.
From 1900-1980 - Firearm problems steadily rising.
1984
The Milperra Massacre or Milperra bikie shoot-out was a firearm battle between rival motorcycle gang members on 2 September (Father's Day) 1984, in Milperra, a south-western suburb of Sydney, New South Wales. The shootout had its roots in an intense rivalry that developed after a group of Comancheros broke away and formed the first Bandidos Motorcycle Club chapter in Australia. Seven people were killed and twenty-eight injured when the two groups clashed at Milperra. The event was a catalyst for significant changes to gun laws in New South Wales.
The Comancheros were notorious for carrying registered shotguns openly while riding. As a result of the massacre, the New South Wales Firearms and Dangerous Weapons Act 1973, which allowed registered owners the right to carry firearms in public, was subsequently amended to require "a good reason for the issue of a [firearm] licence".
1987
The Hoddle Street massacre was a spree killing that occurred on the evening of Sunday, 9 August 1987, in Hoddle Street, Clifton Hill, a suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, in Australia.
The Queen Street massacre was a spree-killing-suicide that occurred on 8 December 1987 at the Australia Post offices at 191 Queen Street in Melbourne, Victoria. The attack resulted in nine fatalities, including the perpetrator, and five injuries
The Victorian government acted quickly to introduce scricter gun laws but the Sporting Shooters Association led gun lobby arranged a march of 27,000 shooters through the streets of Melbourne in an effort to stop the proposed laws. Better laws were introduced into Victoria and to some extent these influenced the production of improved laws in other states. The march drew atention to the fact that organised shooters groups will oppose improved gun laws regardless of their necessity for public safety.
1991
The Strathfield massacre was a shooting rampage in Sydney, Australia on Saturday, 17 August 1991. The shooter was Wade Frankum, who killed himself as police arrived at the scene. The incident left eight dead and six wounded.
A few months before the massacre the NSW police minister Ted Pickering had introduced a new set of gun laws into NSW which well suited the gun lobby. Following the massacre the Police Commissioner put those laws on hold. By the end of the year the Select Committee had made its extensive report and the NSW parliament had decided on a replacement set of stricter gun laws to become operative early in 1992.
1996
The Port Arthur massacre of 28 April 1996 was a killing spree in which 35 people were killed and 23 wounded, mainly at the historic Port Arthur prison colony, a popular tourist site in south-eastern Tasmania, Australia. Martin Bryant, a 28-year-old from New Town, a suburb of Hobart, eventually pleaded guilty to the crimes and was given 35 life sentences without possibility of parole. He is now imprisoned in the Wilfred Lopes Centre near Risdon Prison.
This is the year everything changed. Our laws completely changed on this year. Here's a good article regarding these events and action taken afterwards. Published in 2000.
http://guncontrol.org.au/2000/02/gun-politics-in-australia/
Quoted from the article:
A decade and a half ago the gun debate in Australia became distorted by US gun lobby thinking. Instead of discussion on shooter credentialisation and training, proper handling of guns and public safety the debate now often hinges on gun owners rights. It would be a tragedy if this change from functional to ideological dominates the future of gun politics in Australia. It would be an even greater tragedy if Australian society has to face the consequences of the weak laws which some leading gun clubs would have us accept.It is the desires of these Americanised gun clubs and their gun trading supporters that presents the Australian peace-loving population with a great political problem in the future.
http://guncontrol.org.au/2012/09/our-strict-gun-laws-have-saved-thousands-of-australian-lives/
the above link shows the rapid decline in firearm related violence since the new laws were introduced. Published in Septemeber this year.
