Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was evacuated from his official residence in Canberra on Tuesday night following a bomb scare that triggered a major security response. He was moved to a secure location for several hours before returning to The Lodge around 9pm, after authorities conducted a thorough search and found nothing suspicious.

Finance Minister Katy Gallagher described the incident as very troubling and urged Australians to lower the temperature of political debate. She said rising hostility, particularly in the online world, had contributed to increasing threats against elected representatives. Opposition Leader Angus Taylor expressed relief that the prime minister was safe and condemned threats against parliamentarians as abhorrent.

The incident comes amid a broader rise in threats targeting federal politicians. A national security investigations team established by the Australian Federal Police has charged 21 people since October 2025, many for threatening parliamentarians and other high office holders. Several recent arrests relate to alleged menacing emails and online posts, as authorities report a growing number of harassment and threat cases in recent years.