Austin Mackell harassment charges against MP Susan Templeman, Digi Mart USA News (Australia): Austin Mackell allegedly contacted the office of Susan Templeman, federal member for Macquarie, approximately 192 times. On one day, the 43-year-old pro-Palestine activist allegedly made up to 43 phone calls, swore at staff, called them names and threatened to attend the office in person and follow her staff in their cars.
The Crown has charged Mackell with using a carriage service to menace, harass or offend. Sample communications cited by the prosecution include, “if you don’t answer the phone you’re going to see me in the street,” and “she’s a coward.” Mackell says the prosecution is “malicious” and “politically motivated” and a violation of his right to free speech.
On Wednesday, Mackell appeared before the NSW Court of Criminal Appeal, arguing that his bail conditions should be dropped because they unreasonably impinge on his freedom. The conditions prevent him from contacting Templeman or her former chief of staff and from entering Templeman’s electorate office.
According to Crown submissions, one voicemail stated, “the more you ignore me the angrier I’m going to become … that means making Susan’s life a living hell or your life a living hell.” In another, according to documents, he called a staff member “a little f—ing Eichmann,” followed by an email referring to “you racist amoral complacent little eichmanns.”
Most of the allegedly abusive messages concerned Palestine and the Albanese government’s foreign policy on Israel’s bombardment of Gaza, which a United Nations commission of inquiry has called a genocide. One message concerned his Centrelink payments.
On May 14, 2025, when he allegedly made 28 calls to Templeman’s office between 11am and 12.30pm, Mackell allegedly left a message saying, “I need help with my Centrelink. Give me the f—in’ money now you c—s.”
Templeman is co-chair of the Parliamentary Friends of Palestine group, which Mackell says means she “invites criticism” on the topic. The Crown’s position is that the alleged behavior is being treated with the utmost seriousness by authorities, particularly following a recent electorate office attack on Independent MP Helen Haines and heightened awareness of political rhetoric that can escalate into menace or violence.
In a video recently posted to his Facebook page, Mackell is seen walking up and down outside Templeman’s office in Lawson in the Blue Mountains. “Ms Templeman, you can’t hide, you support this genocide,” he says to the camera.
Representing himself in court, Mackell argued forcefully that his bail conditions breach the implied freedom of political communication in the Constitution, the same freedom Pauline Hanson relied upon in her appeal to the High Court over a racist tweet.
The Crown opposed any variation to the bail conditions, citing the risk of Mackell interfering with witnesses. It pointed to an in-person confrontation in April 2025 with Templeman’s former chief of staff, in which Mackell allegedly yelled and swore at him, and a July incident in which Mackell allegedly banged on the office door while the chief of staff was inside.
Mackell was not charged in relation to either incident, but the Crown says they form the surrounding circumstances of the alleged harassment.
Following these incidents, police visited Mackell’s Blue Mountains home to warn him about his behavior, a visit Mackell described in court as police “showing up armed at my door … trying to intimidate me.” Documents show Templeman wrote to him in May 2025: “I respect your depth of feeling on these issues, however it is not appropriate for my staff to be personally confronted or insulted.”
After the hearing, Mackell said the social cohesion team within the national security unit of the Australian Federal Police was “using the process to punish me because they know there is no chance of a conviction.” The Crown argued that an email he sent on May 25, 2026, after he was charged, showed an unacceptable risk that he will contact witnesses.
The Court of Criminal Appeal reserved its decision on his bail variation. The original criminal charge is listed for a committal hearing in Katoomba Local Court on Monday.
Mackell, who has sought donations for his cause on social media, wants the matter heard in the District Court before a jury.
