Female Victorian MPs report escalating threats as election looms
Victorian women MPs report violent and sexual threats before the state election in five weeks.
An alleged attack on federal MP Helen Haines this week prompted fellow Victorian politicians to speak out about the abuse they face while campaigning. Georgie Purcell, a state upper house MP, shared that she has changed where she parks, which routes she takes home, and whether she holds public events due to threats.
After she posted support for Haines, constituents commented wishing violence on her. One told her: "You should be scared."
Annabelle Cleeland, a Nationals MP, now shares her live location with her husband and staff due to threats. She says the abuse is "sexualised, it's violent".
Victorian Premier Ben Carroll met Wednesday with police and electoral officials to discuss stronger safety measures for MPs. This meeting happened ahead of November's election.
Police said they are working to establish a central system for monitoring threats. Currently each complaint is dealt with separately.
Why it mattersPolitical safety affects who can run for office, whether all candidates feel safe campaigning in public, and the quality of debate voters see during elections.
AustraliaVictorian voters head to polls in November; police safety overhaul may affect how candidates campaign and what protections are available to women standing for election.
✓ Claims checked against the source and corrected before publish. checked 2 h ago
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