Australian minister reveals 19 death threats amid 'stoned in the square' comments

Australian Minister for Small Business Anne Aly has condemned remarks made in parliament calling for her and the Prime Minister to be "shamed and stoned in the square," revealing she has received 19 death threats in the past week alone. The comments were made by Gold Coast Liberal National MP Angie Bell, who was forced to withdraw them by the speaker for using "physically violent imagery."

Aly responded via an Instagram post, stating that such threats, including previous ones using similar language, were "racist" and "misogynistic." She emphasized that these remarks were not only unparliamentary but also contrary to Australian values, which she said stand against violence towards women and brutal methods like stoning.

Bell's remarks were made in opposition to a decision by the Australian Tax Office to ban credit card payments for tax bills, which she argued would harm small businesses. The incident highlights a broader trend of increasing threats against politicians in Australia. The Australian Federal Police reported a 60% increase in referrals or threats against parliamentarians over the last four years, with female politicians being particularly targeted with violent and offensive material, according to AFP Commissioner Reece Kershaw.