Thursday, 29 August 2024

 Peter WALSH (Murray Plains) (09:47): Cohuna residents are concerned about the spread of Melbourne’s tobacco wars to their town. In early July a tobacco shop there was rammed and firebombed, and thanks to the good work of the CFA volunteers it was contained to that particular shop, although both shops on either side were severely damaged. There is now a burnt-out scar in the middle of the main street of Cohuna, King George Street, which just reminds people daily of what happened there and how the Melbourne tobacco wars have come to their town. Now the shopkeepers in the town are extremely concerned that the person who rented that shop, who ran that tobacco shop, is now trying to rent another shop in town, and they worry that this will happen again if that is the case.

What is the Premier doing? It is the Premier’s responsibility, and it is the government’s responsibility to keep people safe in their community. I ask the Premier: what is she doing to make sure the tobacco wars do not break out in Cohuna and other regional towns again? The police are short-staffed. The CFA volunteers do a great job, but they should not have to go and fight fires that are deliberately lit illegally by people from Melbourne who want to terrorise local shop owners. Please, Premier, do something about it.