September 30, 2024
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CHRIS KENNY: I just want to go into some breaking news now. We've got a statement from the Australian Federal Police about those protests on the weekend, and they tell us that the AFP is expecting at least six reports of crime from Victoria Police relating to protests allegedly involving prohibited symbols and chants that are being investigated by the AFP for potentially breaching counter-terrorism legislation measures that were enacted last year. They also say it's important to note that the AFP does not routinely attend protests, as this is primarily for state and territory agencies. And but, they do have the ability, of course, to use Commonwealth laws. So the AFP is now thanking Victoria Police for providing crucial information that is being investigated by the AFP. So there you go. Belatedly, after all the uproar, the Victorian police are handing evidence and videos to the AFP so they can perhaps lay some charges. The AFP say they're also going to ask the media for more video and the like. Let me bring in the shadow Home Affairs Minister James Paterson, live from Victoria. Good to talk to you again, Senator. This breaking news is at least heartening. It's distressing that it takes all this pressure for it to happen. But finally, the Victoria Police and Federal Police are looking at what happened in Melbourne yesterday.
JAMES PATERSON: Yes, It's a hell of a backflip from the AFP, who only this morning issued a media statement saying no charges will be placed from what happened in Melbourne because no crimes were committed. Well, that was a premature statement. It never should have been issued. There's no way they could have conducted an investigation, let alone interviewed anyone. Even preliminary inquiries would have taken longer than it took them to put out that statement this morning. So it is very welcome. Finally, they have heard the message from the opposition and from leaders in the community that what we have seen in Melbourne and Sydney on the weekend is totally and utterly unacceptable. But it should not have taken, as you pointed out in your editorial, almost 12 months for them to get this message. It should have been very clear from that first event on the 8th of October that you screened earlier, in Western Sydney, let alone the Sydney Opera House, that we have a very serious problem in this country. And that if we don't enforce the law, that problem is going to only get worse because there are extremists and they become emboldened when they think there are no consequences for their behaviour. So it's time for the Prime Minister, the Home Affairs Minister, the Attorney-General, to make very clear the community's expectations to the police that the law will be enforced. That people be charged. That there be consequences for this abhorrent behaviour.
KENNY: Look, that's exactly the point, now there is going to be some action now, right? Now so far, we've had so many politicians for Anthony Albanese down wiping their hands, saying leave it up to the police. But this demonstrates that when political leaders like Premiers and others and the Opposition, absolutely giving you and Peter Dutton credit, talk up strongly on these issues, point out what's going on, then that forces the correct action from the law enforcement authorities we will leave it all up to the courts, of course, the rule of law will play out, but the action comes from political guidance and a political lead.
PATERSON: Exactly right, Chris. And the reverse is also true. If the police think that there are political leaders who don't want the law enforced, who think that enforcing the law will be uncomfortable, then that sends a very bad message as well. I can tell you, when we were in government, when Peter Dutton was the Minister for Home Affairs, the Federal Police were under no doubt whatsoever about his expectations of them enforcing the law, whether it came to terrorism or child sex offences. And if they didn't meet his expectations, he would also make that very clear to them until they did, and he did that on behalf of the public. There's no evidence that either our Home Affairs Minister, Tony Burke, nor our Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus, let alone the Prime Minister, have ever made it clear to the police what their expectations are of them. And no wonder we've seen the lawlessness on our streets every weekend, terrifying the Jewish community, inciting fear and hatred in a way that we should have never seen in our country.
KENNY: So do we need any new laws or is it simply this. A matter of political leaders dictating that they want our laws enforced and enforced strongly?
PATERSON: Well, we're yet to be convinced that the hate symbols legislation is deficient because it's not been tested, and until it's been tested, until the police actually charge someone and seek a conviction, we won't know. But in relation to our incitement to violence provisions, yes, change has been necessary for at least 12 months. That's been evident ever since no one was able to be charged at the federal level for a crime of incitement at the Sydney Opera House. And we have been calling on the government to amend the laws to make it easier to do so. And in the last sitting, Mark Dreyfus finally introduced new legislation to make it easier to target people for incitement to violence. We have seen many instances of incitement in this country in the last 12 months, since the 7th October. The fact that none of it has gotten punished is deeply concerning. Finally, we must fix this law so those charges can be laid.
KENNY: James, thanks so much for joining us. I appreciate it.
ENDS
