Anne Aly, the federal Small Business Minister and Labor Member of Parliament for Cowan, has disclosed receiving 19 death threats over the past week, condemning them as both racist and misogynistic. The revelations came amid controversy sparked by remarks made in the House of Representatives by Angie Bell, the Liberal National Party MP for Moncrieff, who suggested that Aly and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese should be “shamed and stoned in the square” over a policy decision by the Australian Taxation Office (ATO).

Bell’s comments, made before question time on Tuesday during criticism of the ATO’s ban on credit card payments for tax bills, were widely criticised and subsequently withdrawn after the Speaker intervened. The opposition MP argued that the ATO’s decision would negatively impact millions of Australians employed by small businesses.

In response, Aly posted a video on social media reflecting on the ongoing hostility she has faced as a female politician. “This past week alone, I’ve had 19 death threats on my social media,” Aly said, referring to previous threats that echoed Bell’s stoning reference. She described such language as incompatible with Australian values. “We are a country that proudly stands against violence against women and against regimes that use brutal methods like stoning. It is racist. It is misogynistic,” Aly stated.

The use of aggressive and violent rhetoric against politicians is part of a broader trend in Australia and other liberal democracies, where threats against public figures have escalated sharply. During the last federal election campaign, law enforcement received more than 50 reports of alleged criminal offenses directed at politicians. In the 2024-25 financial year, the Australian Federal Police (AFP) recorded 951 referrals involving threats against parliamentarians, representing a rise of over 60% in four years.

Former AFP Commissioner Reece Kershaw, speaking to Senate estimates last year, highlighted that female politicians are disproportionately targeted. He noted that threats often involve derogatory language focused on appearance and include violent and sexually explicit themes. Some threats extend to politicians’ children and are delivered through various channels such as online platforms, mail, or telephone.

Kershaw emphasised that male offenders sometimes directed abuse at women simply because of their gender, rather than political stances, underscoring the gendered nature of such attacks. He affirmed the AFP’s commitment to pursuing and prosecuting those responsible. The government maintains that violence and threatening behaviour toward elected officials undermine the democratic process and must be addressed firmly.