man arrested

Prime Minister Albanese Urges De-escalation of Political Discourse Following Alleged Death Threat

BRISBANE, ⁤October ⁣4, 2025 -⁤ Prime Minister Anthony albanese has called for‍ a reduction in the ‌intensity of political debate after⁣ a Queensland man was charged with allegedly threatening to kill⁢ him. ‌Norman Dean Lake,
was ⁤arrested on Saturday at a property ​north of Brisbane, accused of making the threat⁤ via social media.

Lake ‌has been charged with one count of using a carriage service to make a threat to‌ kill, an ‌offense carrying a⁢ potential 10-year prison​ sentence.

While declining to comment on the ⁤specifics of the case due to​ ongoing court proceedings, Mr. Albanese emphasized the need for‌ respectful disagreement. “I have consistently saeid‍ we need, wherever possible, to turn⁣ down the⁤ temperature of⁣ debate,⁤ and to agree and disagree respectfully,” he ‌stated.

The Prime‍ Minister revealed a substantial‍ increase in threats directed towards him, noting the concerns raised by the Director-General⁣ of ASIO. “Increasingly, the number of reports⁤ that ​I receive ⁣are substantial,” he said, adding that the elevated threat level has impacted his ability to engage ‍with the⁢ public.

mr. Albanese expressed his⁤ desire to maintain accessibility, citing simple activities like purchasing dog ⁣food and walking through public‍ spaces during the campaign. “We don’t want to lose ⁤that.⁢ It’s a great thing about Australians, and the⁤ great ⁣thing about our country,” he said.

He ‍drew comparisons‌ to the experiences of public figures in countries⁤ like the United states ​and ⁣the ⁣United Kingdom, while reaffirming⁤ his commitment to free speech. “We have​ a vibrant ⁤democracy here. No-one is⁢ trying⁢ to stifle free speech,” he said. “We need to show respect for each ⁤other, that doesn’t ⁣mean ⁣agreement, but it does mean behaving ⁢in a way which is acceptable.”

Mr. Lake is scheduled to reappear in the brisbane⁢ Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday.