Edbrooke calls car bullet with firefighter ID a death threat

Paul Edbrooke, the Victorian emergency services minister, described a bullet left on his car as a direct death threat on Monday. The projectile was etched with the word "RAT" and his previous firefighter identification number. Edbrooke discovered the object on the bonnet of his vehicle on Saturday after returning from a community meeting.

The Herald Sun first reported the incident. Edbrooke told ABC Radio Melbourne that he felt "shocked" and "horrified" by the find. He noted that the event occurred shortly after the alleged attack on federal MP Helen Haines in Wangaratta. He stated there is no suggestion linking the two incidents.

The minister explained that the specific firefighter ID number was known only to a limited circle of people. He said the code is "very specific to a firefighter" and would not be common knowledge to the general public. Edbrooke identified members of the United Firefighters Union as the primary source of "aggressive threats" and abuse directed at him on social media.

The union is currently engaged in a dispute with Fire Rescue Victoria, an agency under Edbrooke’s oversight. They are pursuing action in the Fair Work Commission regarding the firefighters' enterprise bargaining agreement. The parties have failed to resolve the contract since 2021. The union has also launched a campaign against the state Labor government, including plans for an advertising push and the placement of firefighters at polling booths.

The union has authorized material urging voters to place the Labor party last in the election scheduled for next month. It is also organizing a members' meeting to decide whether to disaffiliate from the Victorian Labor party. Edbrooke said the bullet raised concerns about his family's safety, particularly because his children drive the same car.

He said he began to wonder if he was being followed or surveilled. "You start thinking, 'Am I being followed? Who knows I'm here? Am I being surveilled?'", he said. Edbrooke described the message as unmistakable, noting the combination of the bullet, his ID, and the word "rat".

Despite the threat, Edbrooke said he would not be intimidated. He said he thinks of his family and other MPs when considering the incident. He warned that such actions could lead to politicians requiring more security, making them less available to the public. He said Australians can disagree politically while still having a chat, but he fears that is changing.