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March 30, 2025
Sunday 30 March 2025
Jake Evans
ABC News
Security details on the campaign trail will be tightened after several hecklers were able to get close to the prime minister and opposition leader yesterday.
One climate protester was able to get within arm's reach of Opposition Leader Peter Dutton at an event in Brisbane yesterday, and another two events were interrupted on the first full day of campaigning.
This morning, Labor campaign spokesman Jason Clare revealed details of another incident that has caused concern for MPs.
Just before the campaign kicked off proper, Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke was forced to pull out of an event over security concerns.
Mr Burke was due to speak after prayers at Parry Park in Lakemba, which he has done "from time to time" for about 15 years.
But organisers pulled him aside to warn a text message had been circulating in the community encouraging young men to visit the prayer room and make it known that Mr Burke was not welcome because of the government's position on the conflict in Gaza.
The ABC understands there were a number of men at the event who were unknown to organisers.
After a conversation with his security detail, Mr Burke agreed not to risk causing an escalation by addressing the group.
One of the men attending later posted a video online warning Mr Burke he was not welcome.
"He has the audacity to come to speak to our community … and goes scurrying out the back exit," the man in that video said.
"I want you to know you are not welcome in our community."
The safety of MPs has become a growing concern at Australian election campaigns, with federal police warning last week that there had been 712 reports of threats to parliamentarians and other high office holders so far this year, which was on track to surpass previous years.
"In the past 13 weeks, we have charged six men, in five separate incidents for allegedly threatening parliamentarians and one man for allegedly threatening a political organisation," commissioner Reece Kershaw told senators last week.
"While these are concerning statistics, our febrile environment in Australia is similar to many other democracies."
Politicians across the aisle have urged that Australia does not go down the path of other nations like the United Kingdom or United States, where politicians are limited from being able to engage with the public.
In the past decade two British politicians have been murdered in stabbing and shooting attacks while engaging with the public, and in the US now-President Donald Trump survived an assassination attempt while at a campaign rally in Pennysylvania.
Labor's campaign spokesman said people needed to treat each other with respect.
"I think all of us would agree that we're lucky in Australia we haven't seen what's happened in the US or UK," Mr Clare told Sky News.
Politicians across the aisle have urged that Australia does not go down the path of other nations like the United Kingdom or United States, where politicians are limited from being able to engage with the public.
In the past decade two British politicians have been murdered in stabbing and shooting attacks while engaging with the public, and in the US now-President Donald Trump survived an assassination attempt while at a campaign rally in Pennysylvania.
Labor's campaign spokesman said people needed to treat each other with respect.
"I think all of us would agree that we're lucky in Australia we haven't seen what's happened in the US or UK," Mr Clare told Sky News.
"You should be able to go about your day, talk to people, encourage them to vote for you and if they don't want to vote for you there is somebody else."Coalition campaign spokesman James Paterson said heckler activity diverted police resources that should be out fighting crime.
"I'm very concerned about this … because it comes in the context of the federal police saying threats to parliamentarians are the highest they have ever been," Senator Paterson told ABC Insiders.
"I don't think we want to move to a style of politics we see in some other countries where our political leaders are cocooned in a security bubble and can't interact with Australians.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said he had confidence in the AFP, and said protesters should not be encouraged by giving them attention.
The Australian Federal Police said in a statement its responsibility was to maintain the safety of parliamentarians and preserve their dignity.
"It is not the responsibility of the AFP to interfere in democracy or stop members of the public from attending political events," a spokesperson said.
"The AFP works closely with state and territory agencies to ensure the balance is right."