Tuesday, 2 May 2023

Police conduct

Aiv PUGLIELLI (North-Eastern Metropolitan) (14:02): (112) My question is for the minister representing the Minister for Police in the other place. A couple of weeks ago I, alongside others in this place, attended the annual Melbourne 420 day community picnic and rally, which celebrates the movement for cannabis reform in Victoria and beyond, and I witnessed the aggressive overpolicing of peaceful attendees. There was a huge number of police officers. They were sweeping through the crowd demanding documentation for medicinal cannabis use, vigorously searching people and their belongings and generally intimidating those in attendance. Minister, this really seemed like overreach for what was a friendly and peaceful picnic event. Will you investigate the actions of Victoria Police on this day and report back on whether the operational decisions were reasonable and justified?

Enver ERDOGAN (Northern Metropolitan – Minister for Corrections, Minister for Youth Justice, Minister for Victim Support) (14:03): I thank the member for their question and interest in this matter. It is not the first time you have raised your concerns about police conduct or broader issues around law reform. I will make sure that in line with the practices of this place the question is taken on notice, and I will seek a written response from the minister in due course.

Aiv PUGLIELLI (North-Eastern Metropolitan) (14:03): I thank the minister for referring the question on for answer. I would also like to note that on that same day a federal joint committee heard from police union secretary Wayne Gatt that:

Overwhelmingly, police in Victoria will focus on commercial trafficking …

of drugs. At the 420 day picnic I would estimate there was around one police officer for every two attendees of the event. There were dozens and dozens of cops. In the same committee hearing Secretary Gatt also said that:

Police are generally under-resourced for the amount of crime that’s committed in our state –

and so they –

… tend to focus on the highest harm offending.

Particularly noting the current dire economic circumstances our state is facing, Minister, was the decision to allocate a massive amount of police resources to a peaceful event like 420 day based on the principle of focusing on ‘highest harm offending’, or was this just an attempt to intimidate a group of people who use drugs?

Enver ERDOGAN (Northern Metropolitan – Minister for Corrections, Minister for Youth Justice, Minister for Victim Support) (14:04): I thank Mr Puglielli for that supplementary question. I will also pass it on for a written response from the minister.