Northern Territory Chief Minister Michael Gunner has fought back tears while revealing his young child has been the subject of a death threat from anti-vaxxers.
During a COVID-19 press conference in Darwin, Mr Gunner was asked whether he knew of any death threats against politicians, following this week's closure of the NT parliament's public galleries due to security threats.
"I have [received death threats] on a number of occasions," Mr Gunner said.
"Not just me, my family.
"I've been told my kid will be put in a grave."
Mr Gunner appeared visibly shaken for about 15 seconds, before he composed himself.
"We have a job and we'll do our job," he said.
NT Police Commissioner Jamie Chalker said the threats against Mr Gunner and his family — as well as other politicians — were being taken very seriously.
"There's multiple investigations that we're undertaking and will continue to do so," Commissioner Chalker said.
"Once we make a criminal benchmark you can be very reassured that we will take action."
Commissioner Chalker said the investigations were complex because some of the threats were being made by people interstate and overseas.
"But I'll call it for what it is: complete, utter cowardice," he said.
"And that's how the Territory community should be treating this nonsense."
Commissioner Chalker said he would not go into specifics about the threats to prevent copycat behaviour.
The Gunner government's decision to issue a vaccination mandate for most workers in the Northern Territory has sparked anger in some sections of the community.
The mandate has led to the sacking of almost 400 public servants who refused to get a jab, while its impact on private sector employment is not yet known.
It has also prompted weekly protests, including one last week in which The Last Post was played at the Darwin Cenotaph
Mr Gunner said he supported people's right to demonstrate but said it was inappropriate to conflate the sacrifices of soldiers with issues raised by people opposed to vaccination mandates.
The protesters' actions last weekend were also condemned by local veteran Sam Weston.
"Don't compare your cause with that of the freedom we fought for," he wrote on Facebook.
He later posted that his comments had brought out the "anger demons" and "keyboard warriors".
Mr Gunner said he could empathise with the veteran.
"We are dealing with people who unfortunately have gone down a rabbit hole," Mr Gunner said.
"The delusion that they're buying into is extraordinary.
"And they can be both offensive and violent in what they say."
