A Central Coast Member of Parliament has spoken out about the toxic nature of online public life after a 43-year-old man was charged with making serious threats against her.

The man was arrested and charged with using a carriage service to threaten NSW Labor MP Liesl Tesch with serious harm. Released on conditional bail, he is expected to face court in September. For Ms Tesch, who has served the community for years, the incident has sparked a deeper conversation about the toll of digital abuse on public figures.

'Faceless' Abuse Targeting Women

Reflecting on the charges, Ms Tesch questioned whether maintaining a social media presence remains viable for modern politicians. She emphasized that the digital landscape has become increasingly hostile, particularly for women.

'It's something that's almost part of the life that we live online,' Ms Tesch said. 'I think it's women in public life in particular and female journalists that really get the brunt of the harm that's caused on there.'

Ms Tesch targeted the anonymity allowed by major tech platforms, arguing it shields perpetrators from accountability. 'My concern is that anonymous or those pseudonym names... it just empowers faceless people to make calls that really do cause harm,' she added.

A Growing Crisis in Local Government

The incident coincides with a damning new report by advocacy group Women For Election, which highlights a pervasive culture of intimidation targeting female political candidates. The survey of 110 women running for or elected to office revealed a staggering 90 per cent had experienced online abuse or harassment. Even more concerning, half of those surveyed admitted the hostility had made them consider stepping down or abandoning their political ambitions.

Licia Heath, CEO of Women For Election, argued that the onus should not be on women to endure the hostility. Instead, she urged systemic reform and greater accountability for social media giants.

'The solution here is not for women to get tougher. It is to go to the root cause, which is the systems and the tech platforms,' Ms Heath said. She also called for urgent changes to NSW local government regulations, which currently require local councillors to publish their residential addresses online.

'The overseas research is showing now that online threats are increasingly leading to physical threats,' Ms Heath warned. 'I feel like we're waiting for someone to be killed in office, particularly in local government.'

From Keyboard to Arson: Real-World Consequences

The escalation from online vitriol to physical danger is already a reality for some local leaders. Cumberland Mayor Ola Hamed detailed a terrifying campaign of harassment that culminated in her car being set alight outside her home in April.

Mayor Hamed, who has frequently been targeted with abuse focusing on her gender and Muslim faith, said the hostility toward female leaders has reached a boiling point. 'We've had women councillors only two weeks ago be told that somebody was going to come around and kill them and their family,' Cr Hamed said. 'This is a cultural issue and it needs to change.'

NSW Police are currently investigating the arson attack on Cr Hamed's vehicle. NSW Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon acknowledged a rise in what he described as 'cowardly' online attacks using false identities. While state-level prosecutions require proof of specific intent, Commissioner Lanyon noted that federal laws are frequently used to prosecute individuals who incite online harassment, menace, or offence.