Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was evacuated from his official residence in Canberra on Tuesday following an alleged security incident.
Albanese was taken away from ‘The Lodge’ to another location for several hours as police officers combed his official residence to check for potential threats.
The Australian Federal Police (AFP) later said in a statement in the evening: “A thorough search of a protection establishment was undertaken and nothing suspicious was located. There is no current threat to the community or public safety.”
A spokesperson for PM Albanese was quoted as saying in the Australian media: “We trust the AFP to do their jobs and thank them for their work.”
The police said it would provide more details at a later time.
The PM returned to his Canberra residence after 9 pm.
It was reported that the PM was evacuated from The Lodge, near Parliament House, over the threat of an explosive.
It is noteworthy that the PM as well as several federal MPs have received security threats in recent months. The local media have reported more security around Albanese in recent months than in the past.
AFP Commissioner Krissy Barrett had in October last year announced the setting up of new national security investigations teams to tackle such threats, including the targeting of federal politicians.