Australia has let abuse of its representatives become ‘part of the job’ – and women bear the brunt

Australians have been deeply shocked by the alleged attack on independent MP Helen Haines that has left her in critical condition in hospital, and having lost a leg.

So far, two responses to the attack have emerged.

First is a call, including from Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, to turn down the rhetorical temperature in Australia’s politics.

The second is renewed scrutiny on the security of MPs .

Both are reasonable immediate responses.

But our research shows Australian elected officials from across federal, state and local government are absorbing a constant stream of abuse, threats, and violence.

To make matters worse, the responses to these threats are marked by a pervasive culture of threat normalisation – the idea that it’s “part of the job” – and an expectation of individual “resilience” and adaptation.

A healthy democracy? Reports to the Australian Federal Police of harassing and threatening behaviour targeted at federal politicians and protected sites reached 1,067 in 2025-26 – almost double from four years earlier.

This pattern repeats across political jurisdictions.

In a 2023 study of Victorian state MPs , 82% reported harassment and 85% harmful threats.

Surveys of Victorian and Tasmanian councillors found roughly four in five had experienced intimidation or abuse.

Our own national study of local government elected officials, currently under way, has generated similar initial findings.

We have surveyed 854 councillors and conducted 73 in-depth interviews in 2026.

We found 85% of surveyed councillors had faced some form of abuse, threats, or violence in the past year.