Aaron Marriage, accused of threatening Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk and Chief Health Officer Jeannette Young, pleads not guilty

A court has heard details of threats allegedly directed by a Gold Coast tradie at Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk and Chief Health Officer Jeannette Young. The man had pleaded not guilty to charges related to the alleged threats.

Aaron David Marriage outside court. Picture: Jerad Williams

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A FORMER Navy ex-service man who described himself as the “Wolf of Bargara” told police it was a “joke” and “waste of money” to investigate him for making threats against the Premier.

He sent Facebook messages while the state border was still closed threatening to run down the road block in his truck and said “I don’t care if people get killed”.

He also told Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk and Chief Health Officer Jeanette Young to “get ready for war”.

Aaron David Marriage pleaded not guilty when he appeared in Southport Magistrates Court on Tuesday morning.

He was charged with two counts of using a carriage service to make threats on September 14 last year.

Magistrate Gary Finger reserved his decision until August 24.

Aaron David Marriage outside court in Southport. Picture: Jerad Williams.

It is alleged he sent Ms Palaszczuk’s Facebook account multiple messages including one which threatened to mow down the border wall in his truck.

A second message directed to Ms Palaszczuk and Ms Young allegedly read: “I will personally wipe you from the face of the earth. Get ready for war.”

The court was played a recording made by police the day they charged Marriage in his Nerang home.

On the recording Marriage told police he was frustrated because the border restrictions meant he could not see his son based in NSW.

“If (Ms Palaszczuk) cares about the people who work for her she might open them up,” Marriage told police.

Marriage said he did not intend to carry out the threats.

“You know I find this a joke and a waste of money and time,” he said.

Marriage also said on the recording he spent time in the Navy.

In other parts the recording he expressed concerns Australia was turning into a communist country.

The Premier’s media advisor Catherine Milton told the court that she first received a message from an account using the name Aaron Marriage on April 26 last year.

“It’s a message…. It’s cranky,” she said. “It didn’t really have anything I would engage with so I didn’t respond to it.”

Ms Milton said the next message was sent on June 9 and was a complaint about border closures. She said when she responded Marriage wrote back almost straight away.

Ms Milton told the court it was not until about three months later that Marriage sent the fourth message where Marriage said he would mow people down at the border.

“He obviously was not happy and didn’t like the Premier but this one raised flags, it made a specific threat,” she said.

Ms Milton said she forwarded the messages and details about the Aaron Marriage Facebook account to police.

When the trial began Marriage was seen laughing as Commonwealth prosecutor Hollie Wiffen outlined their case to the court.

EARLIER

March 1, 2021

A NERANG man accused to threatening the Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk and Chief Health Officer Jeannette Young had his matter delayed in order for more information to be provided to defence.

Aaron Marriage appeared briefly in the Southport Magistrates Court on Monday morning where he faced charges of using a carriage service to make threats to kill.

Aaron David Marriage outside court. Picture: Jerad Williams

It is alleged the bricklayer threatened to “mow down” Ms Palaszczuk and Dr Young on a Facebook post made in September last year.

Defence lawyer Nic Tobin, of Nic Tobin Legal, asked for the matter to be adjourned until April 19 so a brief of evidence could be obtained.

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