A 36-year-old man from Kingswood in Western Sydney has been charged with threatening to murder Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in the lead-up to the 2025 federal election.
The man is accused of posting threats on social media between 20 February and 3 March, prompting an investigation by the Australian Federal Police (AFP) earlier this year.
The threats were allegedly made against a sitting Member of Parliament — later confirmed by Mr Albanese himself as the target, although he declined to discuss specific details, citing national security protocols.
“I don’t comment on national security issues and on those issues, whether it involves someone else or whether it involves me directly,” the Prime Minister said.
“What I do is have confidence in our national security agencies to do their job, and they do it very well.”
The AFP launched a formal investigation in March and traced the threatening posts to a social media account allegedly linked to Keating. Officers executed a search warrant at his home on 7 May, seizing electronic devices for forensic examination.
AFP Acting Commander Mark Baron said the agency takes all threats against elected officials seriously.
“The AFP supports freedom of speech and political expression, but I want to make it clear we will never tolerate criminal behaviour, including threats and harassment.”
The man has been charged with one count of threatening to cause harm to a Commonwealth public official, under section 147.2(1) of the Criminal Code 1995 (Cth) — a serious offence carrying a maximum penalty of nine years’ imprisonment.
His case was briefly mentioned at Downing Centre Local Court yesterday morning and will return to court on 29 August.
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