Politicians are mixed on tightened security measures to better protect them after police charged the alleged attacker of independent MP Helen Haines.
What we know:
- The Australian Federal Police Association says police protection for MPs must be reviewed, and has called for privately contracted home security inspections to be taken over by the AFP (ABC).
- Several federal MPs have described deep fears for their safety, with some describing a mixed experience with available security services and “tokenistic” threat assessments (ABC).
- Victorian Premier Ben Carroll is set to meet with the Victorian electoral commissioner today to discuss security arrangements ahead of the state election, and has reportedly called a special cabinet meeting with elected members (ABC).
- But some politicians have publicly warned against tightened security measures in the wake of the attack on Haines, with independent MP Monique Ryan saying “we want to stay normal human beings, stay members of our community” (The Guardian).
- Labor frontbencher Tanya Plibersek said withdrawing from public life would make “our democracy weaker”. Plibersek spoke of “regular” rape threats, which was echoed by numerous female MPs (The Guardian).
- It comes as Haines’s alleged attacker Brendan Nugent has been charged with three offences by police: dangerous driving causing injury, intentionally causing injury, and a Commonwealth offence of causing harm to a Commonwealth public official (SMH).
- Haines is continuing to fight for her life at Melbourne’s Alfred hospital. She has lost one leg and surgeons are trying to save the other (SMH).