A Labor senator has called on Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to initiate a comprehensive review of security measures for federal parliamentarians following a recent attack on Indi MP Helen Haines. Senator Michelle Ananda-Rajah, who was with Dr. Haines on the day of the assault, expressed frustration over what she described as a lackluster response from security agencies and said she had “given up asking” for increased protection.

The call for an overhaul of parliamentarian security comes amid concerns within the Labor Party that the government's current approach may be insufficient. Several Labor MPs have reportedly been unconvinced by the Prime Minister’s private briefings last week, during which he reassured them that the overall threat level had not changed despite the attack. Albanese urged MPs to maintain public engagement and not be intimidated. However, some attendees found his remarks to be detached from their lived experiences of escalating threats and insecurity.

Senator Ananda-Rajah, responsible for electorates including Indi as a Victorian senator, emphasized the need for expanded security provisions at public events and around mobile offices. She highlighted the importance of a visible security presence as a deterrent to potential threats or anti-social behavior. According to sources, only members of the national security committee currently receive guaranteed security protection, while others rely on Australian Federal Police (AFP) risk assessments to determine their level of support.

The senator recounted her own experience of receiving AFP assistance briefly after a “semi-assault” at a street stall in the former Melbourne seat of Higgins, but said that support quickly diminished. “The AFP have a sense in their mind of who is high-risk or who isn’t,” she said, noting a disconnect between rising rhetoric about threats and the actual security provided to MPs. “When we hear that the threat environment is escalating and that random acts of violence are more common, it doesn’t square with the kind of security we are actually provided.”

Internal discussions among Labor MPs revealed a divided response to government briefings. In a virtual meeting convened shortly after the attack, Albanese and Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke advised that the incident was isolated and that MPs should not feel intimidated. Following the Prime Minister’s departure from the call, several female MPs shared accounts of increasing threats and insecurity that contrasted with the official assessment. Some expressed that while Albanese’s remarks aligned with government advice, they sought a more personal acknowledgment of their concerns.

NSW Labor Senator Deborah O’Neill, who did not attend the meeting, emphasized that efforts to enhance safety should include improvements in both mainstream and social media standards. This stance aligns with ongoing parliamentary focus this week on social media regulation, including potential amendments to a digital duty of care bill. Government sources indicated openness to changes that would clarify restrictions on the eSafety Commissioner, specifically preventing the use of fictitious accounts to disseminate government material.

AFP Commissioner Krissy Barrett defended the current level of funding and resources allocated for MP protection, asserting the importance of adapting capabilities and investing in technology over merely increasing budgets. She noted a clear connection between political rhetoric and the frequency of violent threats against public officials, warning that heightened political conflict often leads to immediate rises in abuse and threats.

As the government seeks bipartisan support for social media reforms, the debate over parliamentarian security highlights ongoing tensions around how best to protect elected officials while maintaining public accessibility.