Greg Hunt tears up over anti-vaxxer threats at Michael Gunner

Health Minister Greg Hunt has condemned anti-vaxxers who targeted NT Chief Minister Michael Gunner and his family.

Anti-vaxxers threatening the family of Northern Territory chief minister Michael Gunner have been condemned by Health Minister Greg Hunt in an emotional plea for “mutual respect”.

Mr Hunt also revealed his own children have previously been the subject of death threats, as he lashed out at protesters who disclosed Mr Gunner’s home address at an anti-vaccine rally on Saturday.

“Let me condemn clear, absolutely, unequivocally the attack on Michael Gunner’s house in what would have been deeply concerning ... for his family,” he said.

Health Minister Greg Hunt has condemned people who revealed the home address of NT Chief Minister Michael Gunner. Picture: Gary Ramage / NCA NewsWire

Mr Gunner’s family left their home after the address was made public.

Asked about the situation and concerns about threats to politicians in the wake of an MP in the UK being murdered, Mr Hunt shed a tear, revealing his own family had been targeted in the past.

“I’ve never really talked about it,” he said.

“There was a period where the lives of my children were threatened quite openly some years ago, and that ... was a matter of great concern.”

Health Minister Greg Hunt has revealed his children have previously been the subject of death threats. Picture: Gary Ramage / NCA NewsWire

He said revealing the home address of a politician was ‘deeply concerning’. Picture: Gary Ramage / NCA NewsWire

Mr Hunt said he offered his support to Mr Gunner and noted Australia had “very fine” police who would investigate the matter.

“To those who think violence or the threat of violence is acceptable in any way, shape or form; it is not,” he said.

The family of Chief Minister Michael Gunner were forced to leave their home after the address was revealed at an anti-vaccine rally. Picture: Julianne Osborne

Mr Hunt said Australia needed to “relearn the value of respect”.

“I don’t mean holding politicians up ... parliamentarians are not better than anybody but they are overwhelmingly public servants that seek to serve the nation,” he said.

“There will be differing views and different approaches but this notion of national tolerance and mutual respect is something I believe in.”

Mr Hunt said parliamentarians across Australia would follow the advice of police, which was “based on threat assessments”.

Protesters rally at a Freedom event on the Darwin Esplanade. Picture: Thomas Morgan

The Territory Response Group was sent to patrol Mr Gunner’s family home on Saturday night after anti-vaccination protesters shouted his home address at a Darwin CBD rally and threatened to attack him.

Despite the threat, Mr Gunner said he will not back down on his government’s mandatory vaccination laws, describing the protesters as a “delusional minority”.

Floral tributes to Sir David Amess MP outside parliament in London. Picture: Rob Pinney/Getty Images

Police have confirmed they are investigating after a video was posted on Facebook showing protesters shouting Mr Gunner’s address and threatening to “go get him”.

In one video, a man can be seen saying: “Gunner the snake curls up at night at (address edited). Let’s go get the dog.”

The safety of politicians and their families has been brought into sharp focus in recent days after UK conservative MP Sir David Amess, 69, was killed on October 15.

Mr Amess was meeting constituents in Essex when he was stabbed multiple times.

A 25-year-old British man is being held under the Terrorism Act.

In 2016, UK Labour MP Jo Cox died after being shot and stabbed multiple times.

Originally published as Greg Hunt tears up over anti-vaxxer threats at Michael Gunner