Almost one arrest a week for pollie threats, Fed police
Politicians are getting in-depth security briefings today as police say further charges may be laid against the man who allegedly mowed down a federal MP.
Australian Federal Police are charging almost one individual every week for threatening parliamentarians and high office holders, announcing all federal politicians are today receiving new security briefings.
The “series of in-depth briefings” from Australia’s security services follow an alleged attack on independent MP Helen Haines that left her fighting for her life.
Dr Haines remains in a critical condition and has had a leg amputated after being hit by a four-wheel drive outside her electorate office in Wangaratta, in Victoria’s north, on Monday afternoon.
Australian Federal Police Chief Commissioner Krissy Barrett said in a press conference this morning that federal police and spy agency ASIO were conducting the briefings on Wednesday.
Dr Haines’ fellow Victorian independent MP Monique Ryan told ABC Radio she had already referred two threats against her to law enforcement since Monday’s alleged attack.
“Just in the last 24 hours, my office has had at least two individuals who we’ve had to talk to the police about,” she said.
Barrett said new national security teams were established late last year “because of the increasing number of threats to parliamentarians and staff along with proactive work to address these threats, particularly online”.
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“The NSA teams are charging almost one individual every week for targeting Commonwealth parliamentarians or high office holders,” Barrett said.
She said the team took swift action.
“When we execute a search warrant on someone who has sat behind a keyboard and made a threat to a parliamentarian and, by and large, they are absolutely shocked when they get a knock on the door,” she said.
“They say ‘oh, I didn’t mean anything by it, I wasn’t going to carry out the threat.’ It doesn’t matter.
“There are serious consequences for you sitting there and thinking that you can make threats and you know the horrific abuse that gets directed at federal parliamentarians, we will come and find you and we will charge you and you will be prosecuted.”
The alleged attack on the widely respected member for Indi has prompted calls to review security arrangements for politicians, who are reporting a ramp-up in violent rhetoric and threats on their physical safety.
In a joint media conference today with Commissioner Barrett, Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Mike Bush outlined the charges laid against Brendan Nugent over the alleged attack on Haines in Wangaratta.
They include causing harm to a Commonwealth public official, intentionally causing harm and dangerous driving causing serious harm, with Bush saying further charges were not ruled out.
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Both said there had been no intelligence regarding Nugent but said “nothing is off the table” with investigations into the horrific incident that has shocked the nation.
In October 2025, the AFP announced the establishment of National Security Investigations (NSI) Teams, which are a flying squad of hate disrupters who focus on high-harm, high-impact politically motivated violence, communal violence and hate crimes that do not meet the threshold for terrorism investigations but drive fear and division.
In 2024-2025, the AFP received 951 reports of harassing, nuisance, offensive and threatening behaviour against high office holders, federal parliamentarians, electorate offices, and protected establishments.
In 2025-26, it increased to 1067 reports. Not all reports reach criminal thresholds.
It comes as the Herald Sun reported the words Haines uttered as she was pinned between two vehicles during the shocking incident outside her electorate office in Wangaratta, Victoria, on Monday.
Haines reportedly thanked emergency workers and bystanders as they rushed to help.
“Thank you, you lovely people,” she said, according to the Herald Sun. “I appreciate your help.”
The 65-year-old remains in a critical but stable condition.
The accused’s father, Rod Nugent, and Rod’s partner Christine Cunningham on Tuesday revealed they had been friends with Haines for more than 20 years.
“We will be assisting Victoria Police in any way we can,” Nugent and Cunningham said in a statement released on Tuesday.
“We would like to sincerely thank members of the local community and police who came to Helen’s aid yesterday after the shocking and horrific crime.
“Helen Haines is a deeply respected, valued and much loved member of our local community.
“Helen has been our friend for more than 20 years and what happened to her yesterday is devastating and unfathomable.”
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