AFP chief links political rhetoric to rise in threats, says one MP charged a week
Commissioner Krissy Barrett says the attack on independent MP Helen Haines should prompt national reflection on political discourse
Australian Federal Police Commissioner Krissy Barrett has drawn a direct link between inflamed rhetoric from politicians and a surge in violent threats against federal parliamentarians, revealing that authorities are charging one person a week over such offences. Speaking on ABC's Insiders on Sunday, Barrett said the attack on independent MP Helen Haines, whose condition has improved from critical to serious but stable, underscored the need for a national pause on polarising language.