Anthony Albanese evacuated from The Lodge after safety threat to Canberra residence
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has been evacuated from The Lodge, his official Canberra residence, due to a safety threat.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has been evacuated from The Lodge, his official Canberra residence, following a safety threat.
Police were called to Mr Albanese’s home about 6pm on Tuesday, before taking the PM to another secure location.
Authorities conducted a three hour search of the residence, but nothing suspicious was found.
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“About 6pm today, the AFP responded to an alleged security incident within the ACT,” the Australian Federal Police said in a statement on Tuesday.
“A thorough search of a protection establishment was established and nothing suspicious was located.
“Further information will be provided at an appropriate time.”
Former AFP Detective Superintendent David Craig described the evacuation as a “significant move”.
“This isn’t some online threat ... there must be some corroboration to it for (police) to act this way,” he told Sky News.
“They will have a number of plans, and depending on the objective or the vector of the threat, those plans will be enacted and the response will be appropriate.”
Mr Albanese had started Tuesday with a breakfast interview on ABC Radio where he revealed he had written to UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, supporting the removal of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor from the royal line of succession.
“Any amendment to the line of succession would be initiated by the United Kingdom, and what would happen would be all 14 realm countries in the Commonwealth .... would have to agree,” he said on Tuesday.
“Australia likes being first and we have made sure that everyone knows what our position is, and we’ll be writing today to the other realm countries as well, informing them of our position.”
The incident comes following a spate of threats against Australian politicians in recent months.
Just last week, a 20-year-old Canberra man was arrested and charged after allegedly throwing a rock and fake explosive device through the window of Canberra’s Hyatt Hotel during a defence industry conference on February 18.
And last month, Mandurah teenager Will James King was charged with threatening to kill after allegedly making death threats against Mr Albanese and NSW Premier Chris Minns on social media.
