Anthony Albanese has reached out to Peter Dutton after reports he was the subject of an alleged terror plot, saying there is “no place whatsoever in politics” for such threats and alleging he was himself the subject of a threat.
A report in The Australian suggested Mr Dutton was the target of a 16-year-old boy, who allegedly bought bomb-making ingredients in preparation for an attack.
A teenager, who cannot be named under Queensland laws, appeared before the Brisbane Children’s Court on Thursday charged with buying and testing bomb ingredients. He was committed to stand trial and is remanded in custody. No details were given during the hearing as to any target of the alleged plot.
Mr Albanese said the number of threats against politicians was increasing, necessitating heightened security on the election campaign trail.
“I’ve reached out to Peter Dutton this morning, and it is a fact that the number of threats that have been made to parliamentarians has increased in recent times,” he said.
The prime minister alleged he had also been the subject of “a pretty serious incident” which he said was “before legal processes at the moment”.
“[But] I have confidence in … the Australian Federal Police and the authorities to do what they can to keep us safe. But that is one of the reasons why you have seen an increased number of security measures put in place.”
The Coalition’s campaign spokesperson James Paterson told the ABC’s News Breakfast reports of the alleged threat were “distressing” both for Mr Dutton and his family.
“Peter Dutton has served our country in public life for 20 years, and for a decade before that as a police officer. Unfortunately, sometimes there is a price for that” he said.
“But if plots like this are aimed at intimidating Peter and his family, or the other threats he received are aimed at doing that, then they will fail, because Peter is a strong person.”
Campaign security tighter with rising threats
AFP Commissioner Reece Kershaw acknowledged the rising threats to parliamentarians in a Senate estimates appearance on the eve of the election campaign.
Federal police recorded 1,009 threats in 2023-24, twice as many as two years earlier. That figure is on track to be surpassed in 2024-25, with 712 incidents reported in the first seven months.
That figure includes “direct and indirect threats” and reports of “harassment, nuisance and offensive communications”.
“The politicians who’ve been targeted are across the political spectrum,” he said.
“Our febrile environment in Australia is similar to many other democracies. COVID-19 contributed to a growing distrust of traditional institutions and polarised community views …
“We are recording an increase in issue-motivated extremism and offenders who are quickly willing to use violence to further their cause,” he said, speaking generally and not in reference to any specific incident.
AFP commissioner Reece Kershaw has warned of rising threats to parliamentarians. (ABC News: Ian Cutmore)
The AFP has developed election-specific security advice and established a taskforce, Operation AUSTRALIS25, to assess and respond to political threats.
Mr Albanese said he had facilitated security for any parliamentarian who had sought it.
“We do live in times that unfortunately we have seen around the world, but here as well, these threats be made. They shouldn’t be. There’s no place whatsoever in politics for any of this.”
Senator Paterson said the increased threats to politicians generally were concerning.
“Australia’s a remarkably safe country. We don’t have the history of political violence that a lot of other countries do. But there are some very disturbing trends that have been observed in the last couple of years in particular,” he said.
“If an act of political violence happened in this country, it would change our country forever in a significantly worse way… So I really hope to see this trend turn around for the sake of our country”.
