A NSW man has been charged over alleged social media posts threatening parliamentarians and is due to appear before Coffs Harbour Local Court on 13 May 2026.
Police allege that in March 2026 a social media user made five offensive posts online, including one containing alleged death threats directed at two parliamentarians.
The AFP’s National Security Investigations (NSI) team linked the 45-year-old man to the posts.
A search warrant was executed in Bellingen on Wednesday, 29 April, during which officers seized an electronic device.
The man has been charged with:
- four counts of using a carriage service to menace, harass and/or cause offence, contrary to section 474.17(1) of the Criminal Code (Cth);
- one count of threatening to cause harm to a Commonwealth public official, contrary to section 147.2(2) of the Criminal Code (Cth); and
- one count of using a carriage service to make a threat to kill, contrary to section 474.15(2) of the Criminal Code (Cth).
The offences carry maximum penalties of five, seven and 10 years’ imprisonment, respectively.
The man appeared before the NSW Bail Division Court on Thursday, 30 April, and was granted bail.
AFP Detective Superintendent Jeremy Staunton said publishing death threats online would not be tolerated.
“No one, regardless of their profession, should be subjected to online death threats or content that seeks to harass or threaten them,” Det-Supt Staunton said.
“The AFP’s NSI teams are committed to identifying and disrupting behavior that threatens our democracy and poses a potential risk to the community.”
AFP Commissioner Krissy Barrett announced the establishment of NSI teams in October 2025 to target groups and individuals causing high levels of harm to Australia’s social cohesion, including the targeting of federal parliamentarians.
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