In Australia emerges a dangerous convergence – Disaffection and the rise of ‘Sovereign Citizens’.

Sept 2025 : The recent assassinations of two police officers in Victoria, allegedly by a self-proclaimed ‘Sovereign Citizen’, is not an isolated outburst of extremism. It sits squarely within the same disaffected population – more than one million Australians (1,152,000) who feel left behind, alienated, and deeply distrusting of authority. This tragedy highlights the most dangerous outcome of deep alienation, as reiterated by global psychologists. “When disaffection hardens into outright rejection of authority, what begins as frustration can spill over into radicalisation and violence. This is Australia’s democratic fault line”.

Both ‘Sovereign Citizens’, and their broader disaffected cohort, reject mainstream political and legal authority. These Sovereign Citizens believes that the Australian government no longer represents them, echoing the ‘Sovereign Citizen’ creed that laws and institutions are illegitimate.

Research shows concentrations of disaffected Australians in rural Australia and outer suburban pockets, precisely the geographies where ‘Sovereign Citizen’ ideology has taken root. The disaffected cohort is already more inclined toward fringe political movements such as One Nation (2.5 times the national average). For some, the step from disillusioned political preference to anti-system radicalisation is small. “The ‘Sovereign Citizen’ narrative is a ready-made story for those who feel forgotten and ignored, the state is illegitimate, its laws don’t apply, and confrontation with authority is justified.

The alleged ‘Sovereign Citizen’ killings in Victoria are not random; they are the sharp edge of a broader democratic fracture. What begins as disaffection and feelings of a “raw deal” can metastasise into movements that openly defy authority.

Left unaddressed, the alienation will continue to fuel political unpredictability, undermine democratic stability, and as this Victorian tragedy shows erupt with fatal consequences.

World renowned psychologists are been repeatedly urging to address this hidden underbelly for years. It is growing. It is angry. And if it is ignored, it will reshape the politics, destabilise the Australian democracy, and, as seen, endanger lives. Australia cannot afford to look the other way.

Team Maverick