Politics · Australia · 1 hr ago
Bullet bearing threat left on Victorian minister’s car, police investigate
A bullet engraved with “RAT” and his former firefighter number was left on Victorian Emergency Services Minister Paul Edbrooke’s car in Frankston over the weekend.
Police are investigating, and Edbrooke says the threat appears connected to his past as a firefighter.
He suspects some members of the United Firefighters Union are involved, but the account does not establish who left the bullet.
The union and the government are in a dispute over an income protection scheme and minimum staffing rules for firefighters.
Edbrooke says the scheme should benefit firefighters directly, not the union, and denies that the government threatens firefighter safety or staffing.
The union is running ads urging voters to put Labor last in next month’s Victorian state election over the staffing rules.
The investigation is ongoing, and Edbrooke has urged candidates from other parties to stop campaigning with the union.
A bullet engraved with “RAT” and Paul Edbrooke’s former firefighter number was left on the Victorian emergency services minister’s car in Frankston over the weekend.
Police are investigating the incident.
Edbrooke said he feared for his family’s safety and described the bullet as a death threat.
He suspects members of the United Firefighters Union because, he said, few people knew his firefighter number; the union has not been accused by police in the reports.
The dispute comes amid a union campaign against the Victorian Labor government over firefighter staffing and workplace issues.
- Who
- Paul Edbrooke, Victoria’s emergency services minister, found the bullet. Police are investigating.
- What
- A bullet engraved with “RAT” and Edbrooke’s former firefighter number was left on his car.
- When
- Over the weekend. Edbrooke spoke about it on Monday.
- Where
- Frankston, Victoria.
- Why
- Not stated. Edbrooke suspects the incident may be linked to threats he says he has received from some United Firefighters Union members.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
The United Firefighters Union began running televised advertisements urging voters to put Labor last in the next month’s state election.
Union secretary Peter Marshall said Edbrooke and Premier Ben Carroll would be “in the gun” if they affected union members.
A bullet engraved with “RAT” and Edbrooke’s former firefighter number was left on his car in Frankston.
Edbrooke spoke publicly about the bullet, and police were investigating the incident.
- Minister
- Paul Edbrooke
- Location
- Frankston, Victoria
- Object
- Bullet engraved with “RAT” and Edbrooke’s former firefighter number
- Investigation
- Police are investigating
- Union dispute
- United Firefighters Union campaign against the Victorian Labor government over firefighter staffing and workplace issues
- Next month
- State election referenced in the union’s campaign
3 sources
What people are saying
that’s a death threat, a bullet with my firefighter ID number on it and the word ‘rat’.
This is a new low in a pattern of threatening behaviour against politicians
There’s just no place for these sort of threats and intimidation in Victoria or this country.
Until he does, firefighters will tell voters the truth.