Albanese promises ‘swift response’ on MP safety as he mulls panic buttons for politicians

Senator Fatima Payman also criticises former colleagues over lack of staffing given to her office

Anthony Albanese has promised a “swift government response” to safety threats to MPs and floated the provision of duress alarms for electorate offices, saying politicians and their staff have put up with threats for too long.

The prime minister’s pledge to the Labor partyroom came hours after senator Fatima Payman again slammed her former government colleagues over the lack of staffing given to her office, controversially asking: “Is the prime minister waiting for something, like what happened to Dr Helen Haines, to occur to my office?”