Thursday, 13 August 2026

 Melina BATH (Eastern Victoria) (12:32): (1419) My question is to the Minister for Casino, Gaming and Liquor Regulation. Minister, when launching Victoria’s tobacco licensing scheme, you promised to ‘smoke out tobacco crime lords’. Victorian residents, in particular my Latrobe Valley residents, are reeling from increased incidents of alleged extortion and intimidation. Just days ago a man was abducted in broad daylight after a tobacco store owner refused to hand control of the business to a criminal gang. The victim was reportedly forced into a vehicle on Princes Drive in Morwell, taken to another location and assaulted with a knife before being abandoned. Minister, why is organised crime still expanding its influence in the Latrobe Valley despite the promises that you made when your scheme was introduced?

The PRESIDENT: I would have thought that would be directed to the Minister for Police rather than this minister. I will call the minister, but I am just digesting. I always get this advice in my left ear, and I am wondering if I appreciate it or not.

 Enver ERDOGAN (Northern Metropolitan – Minister for Finance, Minister for Casino, Gaming and Liquor Regulation, Minister for Government Services) (12:33): I thank Ms Bath for her question, which would be better directed to the Minister for Police in the other place. I do want to express my deep sympathies to your constituent who was affected by crime. We know crime hurts communities, and that is why in this chamber the Carroll Labor government is getting on. A number of our bills today are about improving community safety: the firearms bill, the corrections legislation and the consumer affairs legislation. For our government, community safety is not something we take for granted. Each and every day we will focus on community safety. But the specifics of your question would be better directed to the Minister for Police in the other place. I will take some guidance from the President in relation to that.

 Melina BATH (Eastern Victoria) (12:34): Your government said tobacco licences would only be granted to fit and proper people and the scheme would disrupt organised crime. These are your terms. Given the alleged abduction and also ramming and firebombing in nearby Warragul, while new suspected illicit tobacco stores continue to emerge in Moe, is the problem a failure of your fit and proper person test, or is it a failure of enforcement?

The PRESIDENT: Given the minister’s answer, he can answer this one as he sees fit.

 Enver ERDOGAN (Northern Metropolitan – Minister for Finance, Minister for Casino, Gaming and Liquor Regulation, Minister for Government Services) (12:35): I thank Ms Bath for her supplementary question. Ms Bath, we have implemented Victoria’s first-ever tobacco licensing scheme, backed by an over $59 million investment in Tobacco Licensing Victoria. Just yesterday we were part of a national disruption group where Tobacco Licensing Victoria, Victoria Police and federal agencies conducted operations on over 100 service stations – one of the largest operations in the nation’s history. We are getting on with the job. Since the Victorian regulator has been on the beat, over 5 million cigarette sticks have been taken off our streets. There is of course more work to do, and we are going to do that together in partnership with the Commonwealth.