Morley Man Charged Over Alleged Threat to Shoot Federal Government Adviser

A 68 year old Perth man has been charged after Australian Federal Police allegedly linked him to a social media post threatening to shoot a federal government adviser.

AFP officers executed a search warrant at a residence in Morley on Wednesday, 30 September 2026, following an investigation that began after police received a report about the alleged post on 12 August 2026.

The man has been charged with one count of using a carriage service in a way that is menacing, contrary to section 474.17 of the Commonwealth Criminal Code.

The offence carries a maximum penalty of 5 years' imprisonment.

He was granted strict conditional bail and is due to appear in Perth Magistrates Court on 28 October 2026.

ALLEGED TARGET NOT IDENTIFIED

The AFP has not publicly named the government adviser allegedly targeted, identified their role or portfolio, or released the wording of the social media post.

Police have also not publicly stated which social media platform was used.

The AFP release does not allege that a firearm was located at the Morley property, nor does it state that investigators believe the man had taken steps to physically carry out the alleged threat.

SECOND HIGH PROFILE ONLINE THREAT CASE TO EMERGE IN PERTH

The Morley case comes little more than a month after another Perth man appeared in court accused of making online threats against a federal political figure.

In August, 47 year old Anton Raymond Illich appeared in a Perth court accused of threatening to kill One Nation leader Pauline Hanson through Facebook posts.

The court heard one alleged post stated he would “hunt her down and kill her”.

Illich indicated he wanted to plead guilty, although the matter was expected to proceed to a higher court. He was ordered not to contact Senator Hanson.

FEDERAL NATIONAL SECURITY TEAM INVOLVED IN MORLEY SEARCH

The Morley investigation was conducted by the AFP's relatively new National Security Investigations team.

The specialist teams were established nationally in October 2025 to investigate people and groups alleged to be causing high levels of harm to social cohesion, including threats against federal parliamentarians and other public figures.

FROM A MORLEY HOME TO PERTH MAGISTRATES COURT

The case has highlighted how conduct carried out from behind a screen can result in a physical police search and criminal prosecution thousands of kilometres from Canberra.

The next significant development is expected on 28 October 2026, when the accused is scheduled to appear before Perth Magistrates Court.

Until then, substantial details remain unknown, including the identity of the alleged target, the precise wording and context of the alleged post, and the evidence prosecutors will rely upon.