Social media platforms “should have a responsibility” to take down death and rape threats, Anthony Albanese says as the attack on independent MP Helen Haines drives a broader conversation about political debate in Australia.
Since Monday’s attack, parliamentarians of all parties have shared details of threats they have received, with several telling NewsWire they would support stronger security measures around electorate offices.
The threats often come over social media and regularly involve death or sexual violence.
Speaking to media on Thursday, it was put to the Prime Minister that news organisations would be penalised for publishing such content and social media platforms should be held to the same standard.
“We have tried a range of measures,” he told ABC Radio, pointing to Labor’s proposed digital duty of care.
He admitted “we haven’t been able to do what we wanted to do”.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says social media companies should take down death and rape threats. Picture: NewsWire / David Crosling
“In the wake of Bondi, we had legislation about hate speech that we weren’t able to get through the parliament,” Mr Albanese said.
“It didn’t receive the support of either the Coalition or the Greens political party.”
He said his government would listen to security agencies, debate with parliament “to do what we can to fulfil our obligations to try to keep people safe”, calling the level of threats toward politicians “completely unacceptable”.
“It was incredibly unusual for there to be people charged with threatening MPs 10 years ago,” Mr Albanese said.
“At the moment, there are multiple, like double digits figures, of people before courts for threats made just against myself.”
Online abuse meant to ‘shut women up’
Reported threats against parliamentarians and high office holders have surged over the past two years, with the Australian Federal Police receiving 1067 reports of harassing, nuisance, offensive and threatening behaviour in 2025-26.
That figure was up from 951 the previous financial year.
The majority of targets are women, which gender politics expert Blair Williams told NewsWire was not unique to Australia.
“We have seen an increase in violence toward women in politics generally,” she said.
Dr Williams put it in part down to the isolation many experienced during the Covid pandemic, which drove people further online and exposed them to algorithms designed to keep them scrolling on social media for longer.
Parliamentarians regularly receive threats over social media. Picture: NewsWire / Dylan Robinson
“A lot of algorithms point people in certain directions, intensify anger and disillusionment,” Dr Williams said.
She said the much of the online vitriol hurled at female politicians was meant to “shut women up”.
“It’s to prevent them from being in the political space, being part of the public sphere and having their say,” she said.
But Dr Williams said there was a secondary motivation that viewed women “as more vulnerable” and “easily targeted”.
Cabinet minister Katy Gallagher said women across parliament had been rattled by the attack on Dr Haines but all she had spoken to remained “defiant”.
“I can’t pretend that women across the parliament aren’t concerned about this. They are,” she told Nine’s Today.
“But many of them, and all of that I’ve spoken to, are quite defiant about it too.
“We’ve found our place at the table in politics. We now need to make sure that it’s safe and that people are supported to do their job well.”
