Motion: 'Debate be Adjourned: Protests and Greens Behaviour.'

MOTION

‘DEBATE BE ADJOURNED: PROTESTS AND GREENS BEHAVIOUR’.

Thursday 12 September 2024.

Mr NEWBURY (Brighton) (12:56):

We must urgently debate the motion and also the matters raised by the Leader of the Opposition.

For months and months and months we have seen in this place, out on the steps of this place and in the streets outside this place increasingly dangerous
behaviour, and it has culminated this week in shocking, outrageous behaviour.

To see 27 police officers hurt whilst doing their jobs –

A member interjected.

James NEWBURY: Disgraceful. Acid was thrown on police. This morning the Coalition attempted to move a motion in support of those police, and what did the
Government do?

The Government blocked it. How disgusting, to block a motion recognising the hard work of police and the shameful things that they have seen
over recent days.

But further, the reason why this debate must be urgently adjourned so the House can move on to other important matters is because for months the Coalition has
gone to the Government and said, ‘We need to change the law, we need to improve the law.

The law must be tougher to protect Victorians.’ We have tried again and again and again.

In terms of behaviours in this place, we have gone to the Leader of the House and the Premier repeatedly and called for better behaviour from Members of this
place, specifically the Member for Richmond, and protections around that in terms of either the Standing or Sessional Orders, because we can no longer standby while behaviour by Members of this place incites the violence we see on the streets.

Sam Hibbins: On a point of order, Acting Speaker, this is a procedural debate. It is not an opportunity for Members to reflect on other Members, namely, the Member for Richmond. I ask you to bring the Member for Brighton back to this narrow procedural debate and not reflect on other Members of Parliament.

The ACTING SPEAKER (Wayne Farnham): Member for Brighton, I ask you
to come back to the debate.

James NEWBURY: I can understand why the Greens Member does not want the issue debated, but it is urgent that the issue be debated, and I again call on the
Premier.

Premier, words matter – of course they do – but so does action, and coming into a Chamber that is empty at 7 o’clock at night and doing nothing changes nothing. It changes nothing. No-one watched it, no-one was here.

The Premier needs to act. We have put out our hand to offer to work with the government on that, and in this Chamber the Premier leaned across to me and
said they would. It is on the record.

Where are they? How many times will it take before we see worse?

Because what we are seeing is escalating. I call on the Premier and I call on the Labor Party to act.

Sitting suspended 1:00 pm until 2:02 pm.
Business interrupted under standing orders.

Mr NEWBURY (Brighton) (14:58): It is urgent that we adjourn the matter that was before the House and debate these important issues.

I note the reports of the protest group today, who have said reportedly:

… we must keep going …
We are the most radical part of the resistance on this continent …

These are not the words of people who are anything other than dangerous, so it is essential that this House moves on from the debate and debates the matters put
by the Leader of the Opposition.

We must do it now.

Words are not enough in this place.

We must take action, and this is an opportunity for the Government to vote in unity, as the Premier alluded to in Question Time.

This will be the Government’s chance to prove it.