Federal Politics: Security threats spike against MPs, AFP responds

Briefing papers prepared for the Albanese government were revealed on 2GB radio station on Tuesday showing an increase in threats including harassment, nuisance and offensive behaviour.

It comes after a string of high profile overseas politicians have been assassinated over the last year including former Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe and British Conservative MP David Amess.

AFP Commissioner Reece Kershaw told radio host Ray Hadley that police shared concerns around threats to federal politicians.

“We have seen a heightened degree of activity towards MPs and we’re constantly alert to that,” he said.

“We’ve been quite proactive in making sure we have the right security packages for each member of parliament and we’re constantly engaging with their offices, their electorates and so on.”

The federal police have since increased their specialist security command commissioned with protecting federal ministers – known as the protection command.

A significant number of threats are filtering through the ministers’ social media pages.

“We’ve got a lot of people who have very different views out there and the internet unfortunately has allowed that to occur,” Commissioner Kershaw said.

“Some of those threats are obviously online and we make arrests.”

The AFP is calling on members of the public to help identify individuals making dangerous threats online.

“We also need information from the public around some of these radicalised individuals,” Commissioner Kershaw said.

Nationals MP Darren Chester wrote to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese last month requesting a review of security protocols to ensure that ministers, their families and staff are safe.

In the same month, a man who threatened Labor senator Kristina Keneally due to his anti-vaccination beliefs was sentenced to a good behaviour bond.

Assistant Charities Minister Andrew Leigh was granted a personal protection order in March after he reported serious threats made against him.