ACT parliament hires armed guards as threats to MPs escalate
The ACT Legislative Assembly has hired armed guards for the first time after violent threats against lawmakers increased sharply.
Violent threats against ACT politicians are becoming more frequent and more severe, prompting the Legislative Assembly to contract armed guards for the first time. Chief Minister Andrew Barr told ABC Radio the abuse has intensified over recent years.
"It does feel elevated. Greater in volume, sharper and meaner, frankly, in tone," he said.
Opposition Leader Mark Parton, elected for ten years, noted the shift: in his first five years no one threatened him online, but "in the last two or three years, wow, it's just been crazy". An attack on federal MP Helen Haines outside her office on Monday brought the issue to national attention.
Mr Hanson said a survey showed too many MPs had experienced threatening behaviour, including death threats and threats of physical violence. ASIO chief Mike Burgess warned in June that politically motivated violence was becoming more likely.
Why it mattersAs threats to elected representatives grow, parliament must spend money on security rather than policy, and it signals a dangerous shift in how Australians treat politicians.
AustraliaAustralian MPs across state and federal parliament are reporting rising threats. This ACT move may trigger similar security upgrades elsewhere, affecting how accessible politicians can be to constituents.
✓ Claims checked against the source and corrected before publish. checked 2 h ago
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