Constituency questions
Caulfield electorate
David SOUTHWICK (Caulfield) (14:42): (1270) My constituency question is to the Premier. Premier, organised crime figures such as Kazem ‘Kaz’ Hamad, deported in 2023 after serving an eight-year jail term, have left behind networks that continue to wreak havoc on Victoria. Illegal tobacco has fuelled violent turf wars, with around 140 shops firebombed across Melbourne. ASIO director-general Mike Burgess has also warned that since the Hamas 7 October attack extremist activities in Australia have shifted from protests to direct targeting of people, businesses and places of worship. He confirmed that some of the crimes were linked to offshore direction, including Iran’s Revolutionary Guard, designed to undermine Australia’s social cohesion. Here in Victoria this has meant not just tobacco firebombings but terrorist attacks on the Jewish community, including the firebombing of the Adass synagogue. The government promised to tackle this crisis some 467 days ago. What measures are the government going to take to keep the Jewish community safe?