Wednesday, 3 December 2025

 David ETTERSHANK (Western Metropolitan) (10:01): Sunday 30 November was an important day. Firstly, we saw the government just loving itself at the opening of the Metro Tunnel in what undoubtedly must be one of the country’s most expensive ever photo-ops. That said, I welcome this important infrastructure that will deliver real benefits and that, unlike the Suburban Rail Loop, actually has a business case. Secondly, Sunday also saw the declaration of the Melbourne CBD, Docklands and Southbank as a police-designated area. In short, this means police will be able to stop anyone on foot or in a vehicle, perform a body search, require face coverings and outer garments to be removed and require people to move on. And who will police most likely stop and search? Well, based on the police’s own data, that will likely be First Nations people, who are 15 times as likely to be searched; those of African appearance, who are nine times as likely; and Middle Eastern or Pasifika folk, who are five times as likely. And overwhelmingly they are going to be young. So once again we have this appearance of a Jekyll-and-Hyde government, reconvening the Parliament on 9 December to apologise to First Nations people for the harm that has been wreaked upon them, while they concurrently create and implement laws that will inevitably wreak further harm.