A special federal police task force has been set up to ensure the security of MPs and candidates during the upcoming federal election.
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It is the first time the Australian Federal Police have launched a dedicated response to help provide protection for political candidates ahead of a national poll.
Named Operation Wilmot, the task force will comprise hundreds of investigators, intelligence officers and security specialists, and will complement the work of the Australian Electoral Commission.
The task force will focus on election-related crime, along with security threats made to candidates.
A federal police spokesman said it would work closely alongside state and territory police agencies, and would only be stood up once the election is called.
"The AFP supports political expression and freedom of speech. However, when it leads to disruption, harassment, intimidation, threatening behaviour and damage to property, it can reach the threshold of a criminal offence," the spokesman said.
"The task force sends a strong message to the community that the AFP is dedicated to protecting democracy, protecting high-office holders and will not hesitate to identify and arrest those who break the law."
It comes after multiple federal MPs have faced serious threats from members of the public.
ACT Labor MP Andrew Leigh was granted a personal protection order after threats were made against him.
Meanwhile, Senator Kristina Keneally and Western Australian MP Madeleine King have also faced threats, while Ged Kearney recently had her office in Victoria vandalised.
The federal police spokesman said three people have been charged in the past 18 months with threatening to cause harm to a Commonwealth official, one prosecuted for using the postal service to making threats to kill while five have been charged for using a carriage service to menace or harass.
Two further matters remain under investigation.
"Hiding behind a keyboard to issue threats against politicians does not ensure anonymity," the spokesman said.
"The AFP has world-leading technology to identify individuals who break the law by harassing, menacing or threatening to kill politicians."
Australian Associated Press
