<?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1"?> <docID>329143</docID> <postdate>2024-09-16 09:52:57</postdate> <headline>Attempted Trump assassination has lessons for Australia</headline> <body><p><img class=" wp-image-258478" src="https://citynews.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Donald_Trump_official_portrait-resized-e1695765644345.jpeg" alt="" width="899" height="599" /></p> <caption>The US Secret Service has foiled a second assassination attempt on Donald Trump. Photo: Shealah Craighead</caption> <p><span class="kicker-line">By <strong>Kat Wong</strong> in Canberra</span></p> <p><strong>A second assassination attempt on former US president Donald Trump has been condemned by Australian politicians.</strong></p> <p>The second-time presidential hopeful was the target of "what appears to be an attempted assassination" at his golf club in Florida on Sunday, the FBI has confirmed.</p> <p>It comes two months after Mr Trump was injured in an assassination attempt in Pennsylvania on July 13.</p> <p>Federal Housing Minister Clare O'Neil said the latest incident was "absolutely awful" and reflected on the ramifications for Australian politics.</p> <p>"It worries me because America is such an important and powerful democracy, and it does affect us here in Australia," she told the ABC on Monday.</p> <p>"We're very lucky here and I never want Australians to lose sight of that."</p> <p>Australia's strict gun laws and a political culture where differences are resolved at the ballot box rather than by violence were key factors.</p> <p>"This is not the case in many countries in the world, and it's something precious and it's something we've got to value," Ms O'Neil said.</p> <p>"It's a little bit fragile at times and we need to support it and protect it."</p> <p>Foreign Minister Penny Wong said she was relieved Mr Trump wasn't injured.</p> <p>"Political violence has no place in any society - certainly has no place in a democracy," she told ABC radio.</p> <p>"This is another dreadful demonstration of potential political violence."</p> <p>According to the Reuters news agency, Mr Trump was targetted while golfing on his course in West Palm Beach.</p> <p>US Secret Service agents spotted and fired on a gunman on Sunday in some bushes near the property line with an AK-47-style assault rifle.</p> <p>He was roughly 400 metres away from the presidential candidate.</p> <p>The man was later taken into custody and Mr Trump was confirmed to be safe and well.</p> <p>In July, Trump was grazed in the right ear and one rallygoer was killed in the gunfire.</p> <p style="text-align: left;">The gunman, identified as a 20-year-old Thomas Crooks, was shot and killed by a Secret Service sniper.</p> <p style="text-align: right;"><strong>–with AP</strong></p> </body>