A 43-year-old Sydney man has been warned he could spend up to five years behind bars after being charged with using a telecommunications service to menace, harass, or cause offence, following alleged threats made to a federal politician's office.
Court Appearance and Cryptic Claim
Greg William Tait from Greystanes appeared at Parramatta Local Court in Sydney's west on Wednesday. He did not enter a plea and informed the magistrate he was in the process of seeking legal advice. The court appearance itself was uneventful, but Tait caused a stir upon exiting the building.
Confronted by waiting media, Tait made a baffling declaration. "Team Australia, that's what I stand for, nothing else," he called out. When questioned about the alleged motive for the threats, he appeared to joke that his case was the biggest story in the country.
Allegations and Police Investigation
The charges stem from a series of threatening phone calls allegedly made to the office of a federal Member of Parliament. Concerned parliamentary staff reported the calls to authorities on 16 December, triggering an investigation by the Australian Federal Police (AFP).
Following the report, AFP officers executed a search warrant at Tait's home in western Sydney, where they seized a number of electronic devices as part of their evidence gathering.
A Growing Trend of Political Threats
This case emerges against a worrying backdrop of increasing threats against public officials in Australia. In a separate incident in November, politicians including independent federal MP Allegra Spender and NSW Opposition Leader Kellie Sloane were subjected to alleged inflammatory, misogynistic, and violent threats after they condemned a neo-Nazi rally.
Furthermore, in December, a man was charged over online threats to kill Federal Communications Minister Anika Wells. Later the same month, a 27-year-old Sydney man was arrested for allegedly threatening to kidnap Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in online posts.
Official data underscores this disturbing trend. The AFP received 951 referrals or threats against parliamentarians in the 2024-25 financial year alone, representing a staggering 63% increase over the past four years.
Senior AFP officer Matthew Gale emphasised in a November statement, "The AFP supports freedom of speech and political expression, but any criminal behaviour, including threats and harassment, will not be tolerated."
Tait has been granted bail and is scheduled to return to Parramatta Local Court on 28 January.
