Coalition launches attack against Anthony Albanese over caravan terror plot briefing

The Coalition have upped their pressure on Anthony Albanese in an attempt to discover when he was notified about the foiled caravan terror plot.

Anthony Albanese has hit back after the Coalition upped its attack about when he was first alerted to the top secret investigation into an explosives laden caravan allegedly intended for an attack on the Jewish community.

During Question Time on Wednesday, Coalition MPs including Peter Dutton and Deputy Liberal Leader Sussan Ley attempted to get the Prime Minister to reveal when he was told of the foiled terrorist plot, after previously declining to answer citing “operational matters”.

Despite three attempts, Mr Albanese returned fire accusing the Coalition of “playing political games” while remaining mum on when he was officially briefed.

Anthony Albanese continued to withhold details of when he was briefed following the discovery of an explosives-laden caravan in Sydney’s northwest. Picture: NewsWire/ Martin Ollman

Since the investigation was publicly revealed by The Daily Telegraph, three people have been arrested in connection to the case.

The PM said the Australian people wanted to know who was behind the plot, whether they had been paid and for that investigation to be done “without political interference”.

“But the priority of those opposite is to play political games,” he said.

“I engage regularly with leaders in the Jewish community and what they are interested in is keeping their community safe. And you know what? That’s what my priority is, too.”

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton tried to pressure the PM to reveal when he new about the caravan plot during Question Time . Picture: NewsWire / Martin Ollman

The Opposition Leader also asked why Mr Albanese was refusing to reveal when he was briefed, despite NSW Premier Chris Minns disclosing that he was briefed on January 20, the day after police discovered the caravan in Dural on January 19.

Mr Dutton also said Mr Albanese was “embarrassed … he wasn’t advised by the police, because they were worried about him leaking the information,” and despite objections from Labor, he said this was “a fact”.

In response, Mr Albanese said his priority was to continue to work with intelligence agencies including the AFP, ASIO and the Australian Signals Directorate.

“The idea that that is not the priority, and that should not be my focus is quite frankly absurd and irresponsible, and there are others on that side who know how irresponsible that is,” he said.

Three people have been arrested in relation to the caravan terror plot. Picture: NewsWire/ Damian Shaw

During Question Time in the Senate, the government’s Senate Leader Penny Wong also defended Mr Albanese’s choice to remain tight-lipped.

“I will note that the NSW Police themselves have made clear that the publicity or publication of information around this investigation has compromised our investigation and been detrimental to some of the strategies we may have used,” she said, in response to a question from James Paterson.

“I am surprised that Senator Paterson continues with this line of questioning when he has seen what the NSW Police have said.”

Senator Paterson also put up a motion noting Mr Albanese had failed to “be upfront and accountable with the parliament and the Australian people in relation to when he became aware of a planned mass-casualty terror attack against Sydney’s Jewish community”.

However, it failed.

NSW Premier Christ Minns confirmed he had been told of the incident on January 20, the day after police discovered the vehicle. Picture: NewsWire/ Simon Bullard.

On Saturday, Mr Minns defended Mr Albanese’s decision to not disclose when he was told.

“It’s difficult for me to comment about it because, for understandable reasons, the Prime Minister has said that discussions between him and his intelligence agencies will remain confidential, and I accept that,” he said.

“I don’t have a quibble with that. National security briefings between federal agencies and the Prime Minister are important. I assume he has many of them, and in order not to establish a precedent, I assume he’s not going to speculate on it now.”

Mr Minns also confirmed he had not spoken to Mr Albanese about the case as it was a “confidential police investigation,” and wouldn’t do so unless “there was a stalemate between the agencies or something needed to be clarified”.

Originally published as Coalition launches attack against Anthony Albanese over caravan terror plot briefing