Thursday, 30 November 2023

Adjournment

Community safety

David SOUTHWICK (Caulfield) (18:12): (481) My adjournment tonight is to the Premier, and the action that I seek is that the government work with the Victorian Liberals and Nationals to introduce expanded move-on laws to ensure Victoria Police have the powers they need to keep the community safe. Just on two weeks ago the member for Malvern introduced a private members bill to bring move-on laws into this Parliament. That was following the horrific incident in Caulfield on the Friday evening in which a number of individuals, anti-Israel protesters, targeted my community. It was unfortunate to see events last night in which we again saw anti-Israel protesters target visitors to our state – those that have been here visiting that have had family members either taken hostage by or, for two members, lose their lives to Hamas terrorists.

I would ask the Premier to work with the opposition to bring in these move-on laws. These move-on laws would ensure that those protesters last night that trespassed on private property at the Crowne Plaza hotel, that blockaded the escalator at the top, that did not allow those visitors to actually get into their rooms could be given a directive firstly to move on, and if that directive was not followed, for them to be arrested. We need powers; we need consequences. In the last two weeks since we tried to introduce a private members bill, we have had 1605 of my constituents sign a petition to bring back these move-on laws. We need them – we need them now. I would urge the government to do what they can to ensure safety for all Victorians.