Victorian minister finds bullet marked 'RAT' on car
Paul Edbrooke says the message, which included his old firefighter ID, is a direct threat to his family's safety.
By Justin Brooks ·
A bullet etched with the word 'RAT' was found on the hood of a state minister's car this past weekend.
Paul Edbrooke, the Victorian emergency services minister, discovered the object on his vehicle on Saturday. He had just finished talking to local residents when he returned to his car and saw the bullet resting on the bonnet. The Herald Sun first reported the incident on Monday.
Edbrooke told ABC Radio Melbourne that the message was unmistakable. He noted that the bullet carried his old firefighter ID number, a detail he described as very specific to his former profession and not widely known to the public. He stated plainly that the combination of the word 'rat' and his ID number constituted a death threat.
The minister said he felt shocked and horrified by the discovery. He noted that the incident occurred shortly after federal MP Helen Haines was allegedly attacked. While he said there is no suggestion the two events are connected, the timing left him feeling stunned.
Edbrooke explained that the presence of the bullet raised immediate questions about his family's safety. His children drive the same car, which led him to wonder if he was being followed or surveilled. He said he started thinking about who knew he was at that specific location.
The minister pointed to the United Firefighters Union as the source of aggressive threats against him on social media. The union is currently in a dispute with Fire Rescue Victoria, an agency Edbrooke oversees, regarding an enterprise bargaining agreement. The two sides have failed to resolve the agreement since 2021.
The union is also campaigning against the state Labor government ahead of next month's election. It plans to staff polling booths with firefighters and has urged its members to rank the party last on their ballots. A members' meeting is planned to discuss whether to disaffiliate from the Labor party entirely.
Edbrooke said he would not be intimidated by the incident. He believes politicians should still be able to talk to people in public without needing heavy security details. He warned that if this behavior continues, MPs may become less available to the public.
Source: The Guardian
