Victorian Minister Finds Threatening Bullet

Paul Edbrooke, the Victorian emergency services minister, stated on Sunday that he fears for his family’s safety after finding a bullet on his car. The projectile was etched with the word 'RAT' and his former firefighter identification number.

Edbrooke was speaking with local residents on Saturday when he returned to his vehicle. The Herald Sun reported the discovery first on Monday. Upon returning to his car, Edbrooke found the bullet resting on the bonnet.

In an interview with ABC Radio Melbourne, the Labor minister described his reaction as 'shocked' and 'horrified.' He noted the incident occurred shortly after the alleged attack on federal MP Helen Haines, though officials do not believe the two events are linked.

Edbrooke said the specific ID number on the bullet would not be known to the general public, only to those familiar with firefighter records. He identified members of the United Firefighters Union as the primary source of aggressive online threats directed at him.

The union is currently in a dispute with Fire Rescue Victoria, an agency Edbrooke oversees, regarding an enterprise bargaining agreement that has been unresolved since 2021. The union has also launched a campaign against the state Labor government ahead of next month’s election.

Union officials have planned an expensive advertising push and intend to staff polling booths with firefighters. They have authorized material urging voters to rank the Labor party last. The group is also holding a meeting to decide whether to disaffiliate from the Victorian Labor party entirely.

Edbrooke said he would not be intimidated by the threat. He warned that such actions could force MPs to increase security and reduce their availability to the public, changing the way Australians engage with their representatives.