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Online hate is spilling into the real world, AFP warns

AFP Commissioner Krissy Barrett began her late-night appearance at the Senate estimates hearing noting “a heaviness that hangs across Australia” after the alleged attack on independent MP Helen Haines.

Lone actors are being motivated by a convergence of personal grievances, mental health vulnerabilities and ideological concerns …

What helped keep us safe in recent times, such as our geography, analogue systems and far away criminals, has been impacted by fully integrated technology, social media and artificial intelligence.

We hear about the devastating impacts of racism from communities every day. But many experiences go unreported or uncounted, and our systems often do not capture the full picture.

This is not about collecting more data to prove racism exists. We already know it does. It is about making inequality visible, holding institutions to account and giving communities greater agency over their data to drive real change.

Queensland MP Garth Hamilton says he has ‘witnessed three interactions between cars and people at pre-poll, two accidental’

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A Coalition MP has called for a rethink of pre-poll voting at federal elections, including potentially shortening the amount of time booths are open, amid concerns of threats to voters and volunteers.

Security risks to politicians and their staff have been front and centre this week, as parliament returned after the alleged attack on Helen Haines, which left the independent MP in a serious but stable condition after both her legs were amputated.

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Albanese promises ‘swift response’ on MP safety as he mulls panic buttons for politicians

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Anthony Albanese has promised a “swift government response” to safety threats to MPs and floated the provision of duress alarms for electorate offices, saying politicians and their staff have put up with threats for too long.

The prime minister’s pledge to the Labor party room came hours after Senator Fatima Payman again slammed her former government colleagues over the lack of staffing given to her office, controversially asking: “Is the prime minister waiting for something, like what happened to Dr Helen Haines, to occur to my office?”