A man from Sydney has been charged for making death threats against Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on social media.
The Australian Federal Police (AFP) began investigating the issue in March, after threats were made online prior to the May federal election. Officers say they linked the threats to a 36-year-old man named Alexander Phillip David Keating from Kingswood, Western Sydney. They searched his home and took several electronic devices.
Keating is accused of threatening to harm a government official, a serious crime that could lead to up to nine years in prison. Court papers say he made threats to kill Prime Minister Albanese between February 20 and March 3.
Albanese confirmed he was the MP targeted but didn’t share details, saying he trusts national security agencies to handle such issues well.
Keating's case was briefly heard in court on Friday and will resume on August 29.
AFP Acting Commander Mark Baron said all threats to politicians are taken seriously. He added that while free speech is important, threats and harassment will not be accepted.
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