A Queanbeyan man, 42 has been convicted and fined $2,750 by the ACT Magistrates Court today (17 August, 2026) for possessing prohibited weapons and threatening a federal parliamentarian.
The AFP’s National Security Investigations (NSI) team began an investigation in March, 2026, and linked a social media post threatening a federal parliamentarian to the Queanbeyan man.
In April, 2026, Canberra NSI officers – with assistance from ACT Policing – executed search warrants at a residence in Queanbeyan and on a vehicle at the man’s place of work in the ACT.
Investigators seized the man’s mobile phone, as well as a laptop from the residence, and taser and extendable baton from the vehicle.
On 16 June, 2026, the man pled guilty to the following offences:
- Two counts of possessing a prohibited weapon, contrary to section 5 of the Prohibited Weapons Act (ACT); and
- One count of using a carriage service to menace/harass/cause offence contrary to section 474.14 of the Criminal Code (Cth).
AFP Commissioner Krissy Barrett announced the establishment of NSI teams in October, 2025, to target groups and individuals causing high levels of harm to Australia’s social cohesion, including the targeting of the federal parliamentarians.
