Should Taxpayers Fund Security for Politicians Amid Rising Threats in WA?

As threats against elected officials escalate, a significant question is emerging in the minds of many politicians: should taxpayers bear the cost of security for their representatives? This debate gains urgency amid recent incidents, including a man charged with plotting a terrorist attack on WA Parliament and separate cases involving threats against the prime minister and a former WA police minister.

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We live in an increasingly complex community, and I suspect these things will become more and more prevalent as time goes on, sadly so, but that is the nature of it.

The Australian Federal Police have documented a concerning trend, reporting a 63% surge in "threatening, harassing, nuisance and offensive communications" directed at federal politicians over the past four years. While specific figures for Western Australia are not readily available, the issue is a growing concern among members of parliament. WA Premier Roger Cook acknowledged the increasingly complex community environment, suggesting such incidents may become more prevalent.

In Queensland, Members of Parliament were allocated up to $6,500 per parliamentary term for home security upgrades, a measure prompted partly by the 2021 murder of a British MP. However, Western Australian politicians currently do not have access to state funding for security enhancements. This lack of provision was highlighted during budget estimates when the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly revealed he was advocating for such a scheme.

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I'll leave it up to the independent agencies around the Salaries and Allowances Tribunal as to what is appropriate. But at the moment, members of parliament don't have any mechanism to protect their family home or to protect their place of residence at the moment.

Nationals MP Lachlan Hunter expressed feeling a "heightened level of risk" since joining parliament last year, emphasizing that members currently lack any mechanism to protect their homes or families. He believes it is appropriate for independent agencies, like the Salaries and Allowances Tribunal, to consider providing funding given the increased threat level faced by public officials. In a joint statement, the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly and the President of the Legislative Council confirmed they had urged the independent body responsible for politicians' entitlements to consider making security funding available, citing escalating concerns about personal safety and the safety of loved ones.

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MPs are increasingly raising with us their concerns about personal safety and the safety of their loved ones.