Tuesday, 29 July 2025

 David DAVIS (Southern Metropolitan) (15:22): I want to draw the chamber’s attention to the disgraceful activities on Sunday, where we saw a group of about 1000 so-called pro-Palestinian protesters move to the art gallery to try and force action at the art gallery. They are unhappy, as it turns out, that the Gandels have sponsored the gallery, and that there has been a section of the gallery that has been renamed. The Gandel family are great philanthropists, great donors in Victoria and great Victorians in every way. The idea that a group of pro-Palestinian thugs would be allowed to close down the arts centre and attack, almost with impunity, people who are major donors and supporters of the gallery is outrageous. I was shocked that a government minister – the Minister for Multicultural Affairs, no less – was silent in her approach on this. She said there is a right to protest. But there is not, in my view, a right to be thuggish. There is not a right to close down the gallery. There is not a right to attack major contributors to Victorian society over a long period. I think it is outrageous. I think the Minister for Multicultural Affairs needs to be pulled into line by the Premier. I think we need clear signals. It is clear that there is an antisemitic push in this state that needs to be stood up to and stopped. New South Wales has done a lot better – (Time expired)