MP always on guard after death threats made her feel 'physically sick'

Nine years ago, two envelopes were slipped under the door of NSW MP Jodie Harrison's electorate office.Inside were threats to her life."It made me feel physically sick," the state's minister for women said.Ms Harrison, the Member for Charlestown, said memories of the time have been flooding back in the wake of the attack on Helen Haines on Monday.Tributes have poured in for Helen Haines after the incident at her office. (ABC News: Dallas Freedman)Ms Haines has had both legs amputated and remains in a critical condition after being struck by a car outside her electorate office in Victoria's north-east.The incident prompted NSW Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon to deliver a security briefing to state MPs yesterday.'You are scum'Ms Harrson said she would never forget the shock she felt when she was told of the contents of the letters slipped under her door, which included direct threats on her life:"To The Minister"You in TREASON … you will be hung until you are dead"No Mercy, No Prisoners"You are scum"Ms Harrison said she paused before deciding to call police."That was a really hard decision for me," she said."I was guided by the advice of someone who said to me, 'What would you do if one of your constituents raised this exact issue with you? What would you recommend to them?' And that was to report to the police."A man was later jailed for 16 months and subject to an anti-terrorism order.Details about the case were revealed in the NSW Supreme Court in 2021, when the state government was granted an extension to that terrorism order.The man was also sentenced for weapons-related offences. Police found digital blueprints for firearms and a 3D printer in his possession.Ms Harrison says since then she does daily risk assessments and is always on guard."One of the downsides of public life is that people who might not like us know that we can actually easily be found, because we're public people," she said.Threatening graffitiGosford MP Liesl Tesch has also been subjected to threats, as heard in court last week.A man pleaded guilty to using Facebook to make threats of violence and statements indicating an intention to find the former Paralympian in public and cause her harm.Liesl Tesch carries a personal duress alarm wherever she goes. (Supplied)He is yet to be sentenced.Ms Tesch told 7.30 the increasingly heated abuse directed at her had led to her carrying a device to alert security."It's really probably only been in the last six months, or even more recently," she said."The conversations that I'm having out in the community have got an abrasive level that I've never ever seen before."I've had a threat graffitied on the footpath outside my house that all politicians should be killed now."Newcastle MP Tim Crakanthorp has also allegedly been threatened.A man is awaiting trial over an alleged terror plot involving threats to kill.Fears for staffMs Tesch said she was fearful for her staff, particularly ahead of the NSW election in March."We've got a team of volunteers who want to help. I want them to be safe as well," she said.Sonia Hornery says her staff are concerned for their safety. (ABC News: Rob Virtue)Wallsend MP Sonia Hornery shared those concerns."My office staff and I are much more on guard than we ever used to be," she said."There was one gentleman charged who had spat on one of my staffers not so long ago."During a trip to the Hunter Valley this week, Premier Chris Minns said the issue of MPs safety was a difficult problem to solve."There are some things you can't do, and we can't wrap our MPs up in cotton wool, we can’t put them behind high fences, we can’t keep them out of public view," he said.