Politics · Australia · 5 hrs ago
Anne Aly says she received 19 death threats this week
Australian Small Business Minister Anne Aly says she received 19 death threats this week on social media.
Liberal MP Angie Bell made a remark in Parliament that Aly and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese should be “stoned in the square” over a tax payment change.
Bell was ordered to withdraw the remark and later said it was a poor choice of words.
The dispute centres on the Australian Taxation Office’s decision to stop accepting credit cards for tax payments, which opposition MPs say harms small businesses’ cash flow.
The tax office’s move followed a Reserve Bank ban on passing credit card surcharges on to customers, and Treasurer Jim Chalmers has negotiated a delay.
Albanese says the government will consult businesses about the issue.
Small Business Minister Anne Aly said she received 19 death threats on social media in the past week.
She condemned Liberal MP Angie Bell for saying Aly and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese should be “stoned in the square”.
Bell withdrew the remark and later said it was a poor choice of words made in the heat of the moment.
The comments came during debate over the Australian Taxation Office’s decision to ban credit card payments for tax bills.
The government said it would consult the business community about the issue, while the opposition proposed legislation to restore credit card payments.
- Who
- Small Business Minister Anne Aly said she received the threats; Liberal MP Angie Bell made the remark about Aly and the prime minister.
- What
- Aly said she had received 19 death threats in a week and condemned Bell’s call for them to be stoned.
- When
- Aly made the disclosure on Tuesday, October 13, 2026.
- Where
- The comments were made in Australia’s Parliament and in an Instagram video; the threats were sent via social media.
- Why
- Bell made the remark during debate over the tax office’s ban on credit card payments for tax bills, which the opposition said harmed small businesses.
Small business policy critics, including Angie Bell
Anne Aly and the government
Credit card payments for tax bills
Small business policy critics, including Angie Bell
Bell and the opposition argued that the ban should be stopped to support small businesses’ cash flow; Tim Wilson proposed laws requiring the tax office to restore payments.
Anne Aly and the government
Aly said the government was listening to stakeholders, and Albanese said it would consult the business community.
Bell’s remark
Small business policy critics, including Angie Bell
Bell said it was a poor choice of words made in the heat of the moment while highlighting small businesses’ difficulties.
Anne Aly and the government
Aly condemned the remark as advocacy of violence and said it was racist and misogynistic.
The Reserve Bank banned credit card surcharges from being passed on to consumers.
The Australian Taxation Office decided to ban credit card payments used to pay tax bills.
Bell made the “stoned in the square” remark before question time and was ordered to withdraw it.
Aly posted a video saying she had received 19 death threats on social media in the past week.
- Threats reported
- 19 death threats on social media in the past week
- Minister
- Anne Aly, Small Business Minister
- Liberal MP
- Angie Bell
- Tax payment policy
- Australian Taxation Office ban on credit card payments for tax bills
- Opposition proposal
- Tim Wilson proposed laws to require the tax office to reinstate credit card payments
What people are saying
This past week alone I’ve had 19 death threats on my social media, and in the past I’ve had death threats that are couched in that exact same language: ‘stone her’
It is racist, it is misogynistic, and it should never have been said.
I immediately withdrew the comment.
It was a poor choice of words in the heat of the moment, when I was trying to reflect the dire situation that small businesses face under the Albanese Labor government
Sources
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