FEDERAL police have arrested a man for allegedly sending a death threat to Federal Member for Mallee Anne Webster.
Simon Raymond, 39, of no fixed address, was arrested by AFP officers at Brisbane Airport on Tuesday.
He appeared in Brisbane Magistrates Court on Wednesday and was remanded in custody before another court appearance on Friday.
The AFP said the man faced seven charges, which included using a carriage service to make a threat to kill a person and using a carriage service to harass, threaten or menace.
Making threats to kill can be punished by a maximum penalty of 10 years’ jail.
It is alleged the man targeted the Nationals MP with a series of threats which included threats of “violence and extreme harm”.
The threats were allegedly made by phone and email while he was in Darwin.
He is also been alleged to have sent offensive emails to a large number of medical professionals in Australia and overseas.
Dr Webster declined to comment.
AFP Commander Naomi Binstead said the AFP took all reports regarding the safety and security of Australian high office holders seriously and assessed each matter against information provided.
“The AFP supports political expression and freedom of speech, but when it leads to criminal behaviour, including threats and harassment, it will not be tolerated,” she said.
“The AFP has world-leading technology to identify individuals who break the law by harassing, menacing or threatening Commonwealth officials.”
