Thursday, 19 March 2026

 The PRESIDENT (18:42): Before we call the minister for the adjournment – I have rights of reply from Mr Mohamed Mohideen and Mr Deepak Vinayak. Under standing order 21.03, I present two separate rights of reply. The first right of reply was from Mr Mohamed Mohideen, President of the Islamic Council of Victoria, relating to statements made by Renee Heath on 3 January 2026. The second right of reply was from Mr Deepak Vinayak relating to statements made by Mr Mulholland on 5 March 2026. During my consideration of the application for the rights of reply, I notified both Dr Heath and Mr Mulholland in writing and further consulted them separately on their respective submissions. I remind the house that standing orders do not require me to consider or judge the truth of any statements made in the Council or in submissions. In accordance with standing orders the right of reply from Mr Mohamed Mohideen and the right of reply from Mr Deepak Vinayak are ordered to be published and incorporated into Hansard.

Reply as follows:

Dear President,

I write to respectfully raise a matter concerning remarks made by Ms Renee Heath during her contribution to condolence motions on the Bondi attack in the Legislative Council on Tuesday, 3rd February 2026.

During her speech in Parliament, Ms Heath referred to me by name, claiming that I had “praised Hamas after 7 October and praised the Islamic regime after they were murdering their own citizens,” that I had recently approached her as she was leaving an event (Islamophobia Summit 16 August 2025) to “rant and rave” about the Liberal Party contributing to Islamophobia, and further asserted that I was responsible for “causing Islamophobia.”

These are serious allegations presented as statements of fact. They are false. No evidence was cited in support of these claims during the debate. I categorically reject them. At no time have I praised Hamas or supported the murder of civilians, nor have I engaged in conduct that could reasonably be characterized as causing Islamophobia. I also do not recall approaching Ms Heath at an event to discuss Islamophobia but was in fact approached by her. In our discussion I did mention my concerns about the federal Liberal Party and their anti-Muslim stand but had at first, no idea that Ms Heath was a Liberal MP. Characterization of me going out of my way to “rant and rave” to the Liberal Party about Islamophobia are false and damaging.

I was particularly concerned that these statements were made during a condolence motion. Such motions are traditionally occasions for solemn reflection, unity and respect. Introducing unsubstantiated allegations against a named private citizen and speech downplaying Islamophobia in this context risks departing from the dignity of those proceedings in order to demonise Muslim leaders and communities.

I am not a member of either House of Parliament and therefore have no capacity to respond within the chamber. Parliamentary privilege permits robust debate, but it also leaves private citizens without recourse when serious allegations are made against them under its protection. Were such statements made outside Parliament, they would be capable of being defamatory.

As a private citizen who has been named in Parliament and accused of conduct which adversely impacts my reputation and professional standing, I would hope to receive a retraction of these false comments and a public apology from Ms Heath. However, I understand this is not within the President’s purview. Accordingly, I respectfully request that this letter be accepted and incorporated pursuant to the Council’s citizen’s right of reply procedure, so that I may formally refute the claims made about me on record and make clear that they are unsubstantiated and have adversely affected my reputation.

For the record, I would like to state that I am strong advocate of interfaith dialogue and have respect for all faiths and communities. I am a proud supporter of Multiculturalism and will stand with all communities promoting social harmony.

I raise this matter not to prolong controversy, but in the interest of maintaining the integrity of Parliamentary privilege and to ensure that the record reflects that these allegations are false unsupported and denied in the strongest terms.

Sincerely,

Mohamed Mohideen, OAM, JP

President

Islamic Council of Victoria

Reply as follows:

Dear President,

I, Deepak Vinayak OAM JP of Craigieburn, Victoria, seek to exercise my Right of Reply in relation to remarks made in the Victorian Parliament on 5 March 2026 by Evan Mulholland MP, Member for Northern Metropolitan Region.

During the adjournment debate that evening, Mr Mulholland referred to me by name and made statements regarding my social media following and my role as a Justice of the Peace. In his remarks he suggested that my Facebook follower numbers may have been artificially inflated through the use of “bots” or purchased followers. He further called for the Attorney-General to review whether I meet the threshold for removal as a Justice of the Peace for a possible breach of the code of conduct. Mr Mulholland also asserted that I use the credibility gained through my social media presence to influence people to vote for the Labor Party in the northern suburbs and that I make untrue statements about the Liberal Party within the Indian diaspora.

I believe these remarks have created a misleading impression about my integrity and have adversely affected my reputation and standing within the community.

I have lived in Melbourne for more than 30 years and in Craigieburn for more than 18 years. During that time, I have devoted much of my life to voluntary community service, particularly supporting multicultural communities across Victoria. My work has focused on promoting community harmony, encouraging civic participation and assisting people during difficult periods, including during bushfires, floods and the COVID-19 pandemic.

The parliamentary remarks referring to me were made without any attempt to contact me to verify the information or seek clarification. As a private citizen who has spent many years volunteering in the community, I was deeply concerned to learn that my name had been mentioned in parliamentary proceedings in a manner that may cause members of the public to question my honesty and integrity.

Since those remarks were made, I have experienced significant reputational harm. Members of the public and individuals within the communities I work with have contacted me asking whether the allegations raised in Parliament are true. Responding to these questions has been distressing and has affected my relationships and associations within the community.

The reference made in Parliament has also had serious personal consequences. Following the remarks, I received a phone call from an individual who directly referred to the parliamentary comments and made statements that I perceived as threatening and intimidating. This incident caused considerable concern for my personal safety and for the safety of my family. The matter has been reported to Victoria Police and documented in a statutory declaration.

The situation has also caused significant anxiety and distress. Since the parliamentary reference was made, I have experienced loss of sleep and considerable stress arising from the public attention and the harassment that followed. The impact has affected my wellbeing and my ability to carry out my normal work and community responsibilities. My family has also been deeply distressed by these events and concerned for our safety and wellbeing.

I wish to place on record that I strongly reject the suggestion that my social media following has been obtained through artificial or dishonest means. My online presence has developed over many years through community engagement and public service activities. Like many public platforms, levels of engagement can vary, but I have never engaged in any practice intended to manipulate or artificially inflate follower numbers.

I also reject the implication that I have breached the standards expected of a Justice of the Peace. I take this role seriously and have always carried out my responsibilities with honesty and integrity in accordance with the relevant code of conduct.

In addition, I reject the suggestion that I use my community work or social media presence to promote any particular political party or to spread misinformation about others. My community engagement has always been focused on supporting people from diverse backgrounds, encouraging participation in civic life and promoting respectful dialogue across communities.

I respectfully submit that the remarks made in the Council have adversely affected my reputation, my associations and dealings with members of the community, and my ability to carry out my voluntary and professional responsibilities and have also caused distress to my family and concern for our privacy and wellbeing.

I make this submission respectfully and in good faith solely for the purpose of ensuring that the parliamentary record accurately reflects my position and does not leave an unfair or misleading impression regarding my character or community work.

For more than three decades I have worked to support community harmony and strengthen engagement between Victoria’s diverse communities. I remain committed to continuing this work in a respectful and constructive manner.

I respectfully request that this response be incorporated into the parliamentary record in accordance with the procedures of the Legislative Council.

Deepak Vinayak OAM JP

Craigieburn, Victoria