Teen among men charged over 'threatening' phone call to premier
Two men, one of them a teenager, have been charged after allegedly making a threatening phone call over the weekend to Western Australia Premier Mark McGowan.
WA Police said in a statement two men, aged 18 and 20, allegedly left a number of threatening messages to the premier.
The men have both been charged with Acts Creating False Apprehension as to the Existence of Threats or Danger.
They have been granted bail with strict protective conditions and are due to face Armadale Magistrates Court on December 17.
Treatment of politicians under the spotlight
The alleged incident comes at a time the treatment of politicians in Australia is prompting increasing concern as state governments face mounting pressure over the implementation of Covid-related measures.
Mr McGowan, who has set his state an ambitious double dose vaccine target of 90 per cent before borders reopen, was heckled on Sunday by a group of protesters who later surrounded his car.
The premier's personal phone number was leaked last month and is believed to have been shared in anti-vaxxer group chats.
He said last week he had indefinitely closed his electorate office in Rockingham, south of Perth, amid security concerns.
Death, bomb and rape threats to McGowan's electorate office
"There's been death threats, there's been threats to rape my staff, there's been people threatening to bomb my office," he said.
"To target people's staff and their families is unfair. Unfortunately that's the way these people are conducting themselves, so I just ask them to stop and act like reasonable human beings."
A small section of protesters who opposed Victoria's pandemic bill took gallows to the streets with sections of the crowd chanting death threats about Premier Daniel Andrews.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison condemned the behaviour of those responsible but caused controversy by stating he understood people were angry, suggesting it was time normality returned to residents' lives.
Just a day later, it was announced the daughter of Victorian MP Andy Meddick, who has vocally supported Ms Andrews' pandemic bill, was attacked in what her father believed was a politically-motivated act.
He had said earlier this month he feared for the safety of his family.
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