Albanese confirms bolstered security for MPs after Haines attack

Politicians will receive a security boost after the attack on independent MP Helen Haines, which the prime minister has described as a turning point.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese told the Labor caucus on Tuesday morning that the government would speed up an existing security review that was due to report next year.

Albanese said last week’s attack on Haines had been a “turning point”, and while there had been greater investment in safety and security for MPs, more “can and should be done”.

He said the government was looking at all options, and he had requested the recommendations of the security review be expedited.

MPs of all stripes attended briefings with intelligence agencies last week, where many aired their ongoing frustrations about how long it took for their security requests to be actioned. Several MPs also made requests about duress alarms.

This masthead revealed last week that the government was examining a major round of security upgrades for MPs’ homes, as well as swifter upgrades for offices and more proactive threat assessments from the AFP.

MPs have privately noted an increase in erratic behaviour at electorate offices since the Haines attack, though it is not clear if this is due to increased reporting.

Last week’s four-wheel-drive attack on the independent MP has exposed long-running tensions between federal parliamentarians and the authorities responsible for protecting them.

Elected officials claim security agencies are too reactive and need to modernise their communication with MPs to ensure politicians and their staff feel safe. But authorities have also expressed frustration with MPs who fail to follow protocol when flagging high-risk events or reporting incidents.

More to come

More from our Helen Haines coverage

Cut through the noise of federal politics with news, views and expert analysis. Subscribers can sign up to our weekly Inside Politics newsletter.