Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
ABC News
ABC News
Health

Suspicious package found at Mark McGowan's electoral office found to be innocuous

Police cordoned off Mark McGowan's electorate office in Rockingham. (ABC News: Dave Weber)

Police say preliminary tests on white powder found inside a suspicious package at Mark McGowan's electorate office have found it to be innocuous, after fresh threats were believed to have been made against the WA Premier.

Several police vehicles, a number of ambulances, chemical specialists, and firefighters attended the office on Tuesday afternoon in Rockingham, in Perth's south.

An expert team from ChemCentre's hazardous materials response unit was brought in to test a substance found in a suspicious package, and late today police said they believed it was not harmful.

A Hazmat team gets suited up to test a substance found in the suspicious package. (ABC News)

A small exclusion zone was earlier set up by police outside the office.

Opposition health spokeswoman Libby Mettam condemned the incident.

"It's distressing to hear about this security scare," she said.

"These sorts of threats should be condemned and there is no place for such threats in our society."

The incident follows a series of threats and alleged threats made against Mr McGowan following the introduction of COVID-19 vaccine mandates.

Police were called to the Premier's office in March, 2021, after a suspicious package was found. (ABC News: Herlyn Kaur)

In March last year, Mr McGowan's electorate office was evacuated after receiving suspicious, foil-wrapped packages.

Last month, a 20-year-old Perth man was fined $3,000 after he admitted to leaving threatening messages on Mark McGowan's phone in November

The court heard the message left by Zayvier Rose was expletive-laden.

"No-one likes you. You deserve to die in a hole. The world's going to be after you. F*** you for mandating the vaccine you p****** looking c***," he said in the message.

Zayvier Rose was fined $3,000 after leaving threatening phone messages for the Premier.  (ABC News: Rebecca Trigger)

A 19-year-old man charged alongside Mr Rose, Maxwell Eyke Czirr, was due to appear in Armadale Magistrates Court today but the court was told he was in quarantine.

Mr Czirr was also accused of leaving a threatening message on the Premier's phone alleged to have included reference to a threat to behead Mark McGowan, his wife, and children.

He is yet to enter a plea.

Last year, a 33-year-old man also pleaded guilty to a drunken incident outside of the Premier's home in Rockingham

That charge was discontinued after consideration by police.

In November, the Premier revealed he had been considering moving his family from his Rockingham home

In recent months the Premier's personal security has been beefed up and he now requires a 24-hour police presence at his home.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.