Tony Burke Condemns Dutton for Fanning Fears Following Discovery of Terror Plot as a Sham

Less than 24 hours after the Australian Federal Police (AFP) confirmed that the explosives-laden caravan found in Sydney earlier this year was part of a criminal scheme, not a terrorist plot, a political storm has erupted.

Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke criticised Opposition Leader Peter Dutton, for stoking fear for political gain and of being “conned” by the perpetrators.

On March 10, AFP Deputy Commissioner for National Security Krissy Barrett confirmed that the January incident, initially feared to be a major terror attack, was orchestrated by organised criminals seeking to instil fear for personal benefit.

The AFP’s assessment clarified that the caravan, discovered in a Sydney suburb, was never intended to cause mass casualties.

Burke took to social media, accusing Dutton of amplifying the threat and playing into the hands of criminals.

He demanded an apology from the opposition leader for misleading the public.

“The other person, though, who was conned in all of this and whose recklessness has caught up with him today is Peter Dutton,” Burke said.

He also claimed Dutton deliberately avoided AFP briefings to continue making “outrageous claims” about the incident.

“He chose, quite deliberately, that he wanted to make sure he could continue to make the most outrageous claims. He wanted to make sure that he could stoke the most fear,” Burke said.

“And in doing so, he was running the exact script that organised crime wanted him to run.”

Burke said Dutton continued to escalate tensions, despite warnings from Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) Director Mike Burgess, who cautioned in July 2024 that inflammatory language could fuel community tensions and trigger politically motivated violence.

Opposition Fights Back: Paterson Defends Dutton

The accusations did not go unanswered, with Shadow Home Affairs Minister James Paterson rejecting Burke’s claims.

He pointed out that both he, Shadow Attorney-General Michaelia Cash, and members of Dutton’s office were briefed by the AFP on Jan. 30, when the investigation was still being treated as a possible terror threat.

Later at a press conference, Dutton said the claims were utter nonsense.

“We requested a briefing on the 22nd of January. We requested a briefing about a week later. At no time during those briefings or my discussions with the director general of ASIO, including up to the 18th of February, was there any mention whatsoever of a hoax.”

He added that the prime minister needs to answer questions about when he was advised of this being a hoax.

Minns Defends Early Terror Threat Assessment

New South Wales (NSW) Premier Chris Minns defended the initial handling of the caravan as a potential terror threat.

“We had to be very clear about—once it was revealed in the newspapers—what the threat was, to take it incredibly seriously. I think reasonable people would assume that NSW police and the NSW government would say, ‘We want you to investigate this as if it was the worst possible potential exposure to the public,’” Minns said.

Minns, while endorsing the caution shown by authorities, has unintentionally echoed the actions that Burke criticised in the opposition leader.

He pointed to recent attacks, including a firebombing near a synagogue, as justification for the heightened security response.

“So, based on all that information—the attacks that happened prior to and after the discovery of the caravan—it would have been negligent not to take this incredibly seriously,” he said.

Minns refrained from specifying when he had been informed that the threat had been overblown.

“Obviously, as the information came to light, as the inquiry and investigation continued, changes to the inquiry and the motivation of those who are responsible came to light,” he said.

“But I wasn’t in a position to hold a press conference and say, ‘By the way, the circumstances have changed.’”

AFP Deputy Commissioner Barrett also echoed Minns sentiment saying law enforcement had to treat the situation at its highest level to ensure public safety.

The vehicle, which had been abandoned on the side of the road for weeks before being towed by a concerned bystander, contained power gel—a chemical commonly used in mining operations—along with a note listing Jewish targets.

Initially, authorities feared the caravan could cause a 40-metre-wide blast. However, investigations revealed that the power gel was decades old and lacked a detonation device, rendering it incapable of causing a large-scale explosion.

However, she acknowledged that the public was misled about the true nature of the threat.