Scott Evans, 57, pleaded guilty to threatening to physically harm Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and federal Treasurer Jim Chalmers through voice messages left on Chalmers's office answering service in June. The Australian Federal Police charged Evans after finding evidence of the threats on his mobile phone during a search of his home on July 16. Evans was sentenced to six months in prison but instead received an 18-month good behaviour order, allowing him to avoid jail time. Magistrate Pamela Dowse noted that Evans's messages were "aggressive and extremely threatening" to senior politicians and rejected the defense's argument that they were impulsive decisions made while Evans was out of routine.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-07,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
Scott Evans, a 57-year-old man from Gold Coast, threatened to attack and paralyze Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and federal Treasurer Jim Chalmers through voice messages left on an answering service. The messages were traced back to Evans' home, which was searched by the Australian Federal Police (AFP) on July 16. During the search, evidence of the threats was found on Evans' mobile phone, leading to his arrest and charge with threatening a public official. Evans pleaded guilty in court and was sentenced to six months in prison, but instead received an 18-month good behaviour order and was released.
Written for “Threats Against Prime Minister” on 2026-09-07,
grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.
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No political leaning scored for article 6442 · logged 2026-09-07
In short:
Gold Coast man Scott Evans, 57, has pleaded guilty to threatening to bash Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and federal Treasurer Jim Chalmers.
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Evans → plead → Albanese
Australian Federal Police charged Evans in July after finding evidence of the threats on his mobile phone during a search of his home.
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Police → charge → home
Evans was sentenced to six months in prison but released on an 18-month good behaviour order.
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Evans → sentence → order
A Gold Coast man who threatened to bash and paralyse Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and federal Treasurer Jim Chalmers has narrowly avoided jail time.
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who → threaten → time
Officers from the Australian Federal Police (AFP) National Security Intelligence team launched an investigation into threatening voice messages left on the answering service of Mr Chalmers's electorate office on June 23.
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Officers → launch → June
Those messages were traced to Scott Evans, 57, and his home at Coomera on the northern Gold Coast, which was searched by AFP officers on July 16.
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which → trace → July
During that search, evidence of the threats were found on Evans's mobile phone and he was charged with threatening to cause harm to a public official, which carries a maximum penalty of two years in prison.
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which → find → prison
Evans today pleaded guilty in the Southport Magistrates Court.
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Evans → plead → Court
Legal officer for the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecution Tian Behenna told the court Evans left three "aggressive" messages in the space of six minutes on the night in question.
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Evans → tell → question
"Those messages included threats like, 'Blood is going to be on your hands because I've had enough'," Mr Behenna told the court.
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Behenna → include → court
"He said, 'If I see Albanese you can pass it on, and yourself, I'm going to punch the f***ing shit out of you'."
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I → say → you
Mr Behenna submitted to the court that the only suitable punishment for Evans was a period of imprisonment.
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punishment → submit → imprisonment
"This offending needs to be denounced," he said.
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he → offend → ?
Representing Evans, Corey Cook told the court his client was receiving treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder and his regular psychologist appointment had been cancelled on June 23, the same night he called Mr Chalmers's office.
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he → represent → office
"That led him to be on his own and having negative thoughts," Mr Cook said.
"
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Cook → lead → thoughts
He's out of routine and he's made poor decisions.
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he → make → decisions
He's extremely embarrassed and ashamed with his actions … it was an impulsive decision."
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it → embarrass → actions
During her sentencing remarks, Magistrate Pamela Dowse detailed more content of the messages Evans left on Mr Chalmers's answering service.
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Evans → detail → service
"You said, 'I hope I run into you and Albanese because you're not going to be walking and I don't care what happens from now'," Ms Dowse told Evans.
"I think that can fairly well be described as aggressive and extremely threatening to our most senior politicians."
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that → say → politicians
Ms Dowse accepted Evans's early guilty plea and that he was remorseful, embarrassed and ashamed of his actions.
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he → accept → actions
She did not accept Mr Cook's submission that the messages were left impulsively or that Evans did not intend to act on the threats.
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Evans → accept → threats
the people on the receiving end have got no idea what your intentions are," she said.
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she → get → idea
"You say it was a moment of frustration but I'd argue you made three separate calls."
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you → say → calls
Ms Dowse recorded a conviction against Evans and sentenced him to six months in prison but released him to serve an 18-month good behaviour order.
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Dowse → record → order