Federal election 2025: Security questions after extremist gatecrasher disrupts PM campaign event

Security is expected to be ramped up around Anthony Albanese, Peter Dutton and other senior politicians at events after extremist gatecrashers disrupted the first day of campaigning.

An anti-immigration heckler, with alleged links to other far-right hotheads and even neo-Nazis, was eventually ushered out of a press conference in Brisbane attended by the Prime Minister and Treasurer Jim Chalmers.

Laurence McIntyre, who has previously been photographed alongside white supremacists Joel Davis and Blair Cottrell, became louder as he challenged the Prime Minister.

“Mr Albanese don’t you think 1.8 million immigrants in five years is going to increase demand on the medical system?” he shouted.

“What about the fact that people my age can’t get any housing, we can’t get rentals anymore. We have no future in this country, don’t you think that’s kind of ridiculous?”

Mr McIntyre later bragged on social media that he’d “ripped into Chalmers and Albo.”

“I’m glad so many people are getting some satisfaction out of watching Albo squirm considering he’s rarely if ever actually confronted with the real questions Australians have,” he later added.

Also in Brisbane, Mr Dutton had to contend with a protester, who claimed to be from the environmental group Rising Tide.

The woman held up a sign that read: “No new gas or nuclear” with “Rising Tide” scribbled underneath as she shouted towards the Liberal leader, who was visiting the XXXX brewery.

In both incidents, the intruders appeared to have little trouble bypassing security.

At the outset of the last federal election campaign in 2022, the Australian Federal Police set up a major incident coordination centre with a specialised investigative taskforce to help ensure the security of high-office holders and parliamentarians.

“The incident coordination centre will coordinate hundreds of investigators, intelligence officers and protective security specialists, including close personal protection members,” it announced at the time.

“The Taskforce (Operation Wilmot) will focus on investigations and will receive all reports of electoral-related crime, including security threats to parliamentarians and candidates.”

“The Taskforce will use real-time intelligence to launch immediate investigations across Australia, plus work closely with state and territory law enforcement agencies,” it added.

“This is the first time the AFP has established a dedicated response and specialised Taskforce to protect parliamentarians and candidates for a Federal election. The Taskforce will be headed by an AFP Commander.”

Following the two disruptions in Brisbane, the AFP said its role was to maintain the safety of politicians, but not to stop members of the public from attending political events.

“The AFP works closely with state and territory agencies to ensure the balance is right (between safety and the right to protest),” a spokesperson said.