Wednesday, 19 June 2024

Community safety

Anthony CARBINES (Ivanhoe – Minister for Police, Minister for Crime Prevention, Minister for Racing) (10:24): Activists, or thugs really, who may claim to be pro-Palestinian but who smash windows, daub antisemitic graffiti and light fires at the electorate offices of our colleagues, particularly the member for Macnamara Josh Burns in St Kilda, stand condemned. I spoke to Mr Burns this morning. Victoria Police arson and explosive squads, plus criminal investigation units and members, are on scene. There is also engagement with our counterparts in the Australian Federal Police.

The federal member for Wills Peter Khalil and the federal member for Cooper Ged Kearney in particular are the subjects of repeated threats, intimidation and vandalism at their offices and also in the course of their duties and responsibilities to the communities they represent as members of Parliament. So too are many of my state colleagues in the northern suburbs in particular, who I spent time with last week.

Operation Park sees additional police resources brought to bear to investigate and make arrests regarding protest activity that goes beyond the law and also to hold those to account who claim to break the law in the name of conflict in the Middle East. These individuals who commit serious violence offences will be tracked down and will be brought to justice, and they stand condemned. Can I say also that those who do not call out this behaviour are damned by their silence and condemned by their mealy-mouthed excuses. We will not stand for it, and neither will Victorians. We will hold these perpetrators to account, and Victoria Police continue their investigations.