Politics · Australia · 2 hrs ago
Australian police chief links heated debate to threats against MPs
AFP Commissioner Krissy Barrett says inflammatory political debate is linked to threats against MPs in Australia.
She said police often see harassment rise after heated debates, sometimes very quickly.
Independent MP Helen Haines was critically injured in a car attack outside her electorate office in Wangaratta last week, and has had both legs amputated.
Police have arrested and charged Brendan Nugent, 43, but investigators have not established whether the attack was linked to her role as an MP.
Barrett said police do not want to limit free speech or legitimate debate, but threats of violence are a matter for law enforcement.
Police will continue advising MPs on security, while MPs must decide what steps to take for their own safety.
Barrett said establishing a motive could take weeks or months, and politicians were due to return to Canberra and consider the tone of political debate.
Australian Federal Police Commissioner Krissy Barrett said inflammatory political debate has a direct correlation with threats and abuse against federal parliamentarians.
Barrett said police were receiving serious threats and that about one person a week was being charged with criminal offences.
Her comments followed an attack on independent MP Helen Haines outside her electorate office in Wangaratta last week.
Haines remains in a serious but stable condition in hospital and has had both her legs amputated.
Police are investigating the alleged attacker’s possible motives, including his mental health and political views.
- Who
- AFP Commissioner Krissy Barrett. The story also concerns independent MP Helen Haines and the alleged attacker, Brendan Nugent.
- What
- Barrett linked heated political rhetoric with threats and abuse against MPs. Police are investigating the attack on Haines.
- When
- Barrett spoke on Sunday, October 25, 2026. The attack happened the previous week.
- Where
- The attack was outside Haines’s electorate office in Wangaratta, north-east Victoria.
- Why
- Barrett said inflammatory political discourse can prompt a reaction and contribute to threats. Police are still working to establish a motive for the attack.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Independent MP Helen Haines was attacked by a car outside her Wangaratta electorate office.
AFP Commissioner Krissy Barrett discussed threats against MPs and the investigation into the attack on ABC’s Insiders.
Federal politicians were due to return to Canberra, with tributes to Haines planned for much of the day.
- Commissioner
- Krissy Barrett, Australian Federal Police
- Victim
- Helen Haines, independent MP
- Alleged attacker
- Brendan Nugent, 43
- Attack location
- Outside Haines’s electorate office in Wangaratta, north-east Victoria
- Condition
- Serious but stable; both legs amputated
- Threat charges
- About one person a week charged with criminal offences over serious threats to parliamentarians
2 sources
What people are saying
It does have a direct correlation to what we see in terms of threats and abuse, and sometimes it's very immediate,
We are not here to police free speech. We are not here to intervene in political discourse.
Words matter, and we do see the flow-on impact from that.
Robust debate is fundamental to our system, but personal nastiness is not.