Australia is facing an uphill battle against a “tsunami” of youth crime on the nation’s streets, AFP’s Assistant Commissioner Sandra Booth told a Federal Government inquiry on Wednesday.

Less than a decade ago it took months or years to radicalise individuals, but AI and a rise in polarising social media accounts was making it much easier, she said.

“AFP is deeply concerned that AI is accelerating and lowering the skills required to actively manipulate and radicalise victims online, and then cause serious harm,” she said.

“The current scale and pace of radicalisation and manipulation did not exist at the time of other significant terrorism and radicalisation threats, such as the rise of Islamic State in the mid-2010s.”

Booth warned “serious intervention” was needed into worsening youth mental health and vulnerable people burdened by “repeated victimisation” to protect Australia’s democracy.

The call came just two days after independent MP Helen Haines was mowed down in an alleged attack outside her Wangaratta electorate office. She remains in a critical condition and a 43-year-old man has been charged.

AFP had seen dozens of examples of harm or plotting from people much younger. A joint counter-terrorism team had investigated children as young as 13 for online radicalisation.

In one example, a boy of that age allegedly had plans in a notebook for how he would carry out a school shooting, Booth said.

The national threat level sits at “probable”, but the security environment is becoming increasingly permissive of violence, ASIO deputy director general Claire McGuinness said.

“As a result, acts of political violence are becoming more likely,” she suggested.

“We can not simply respond to threats after they happen; we must anticipate them.”

As their parliamentary colleague Dr Haines fights for her life, the committee also heard from the eSafety Commissioner and the Home Affairs Department about what was driving radicalisation.

The Government has already passed legislation banning under-16s from social media.

Labor has promised to further address social media harms by introducing a digital duty of care and mandating platforms let users “opt out” of the algorithm.

But the bill remains in legislative limbo.

The coalition has labelled it an attempt at political censorship, while the Greens are demanding tougher penalties for social media companies.

AAP