A crossbench MP who negotiated with the government on its pandemic bill currently stalled in the Victorian Parliament says his daughter has been attacked following escalating threats in the toxic debate.
Andy Meddick, from the Animal Justice Party, said he was with his adult daughter Kielan in hospital until the early hours of Friday morning after she was attacked in the street. He said he had reason to believe the attack was linked to his dealings with the government in the upper house to respond to the pandemic.
--
Mr Meddick had previously publicly denounced “vile abuse and threats” against his staff and family, with a group of protesters arriving at his home last Friday evening to demonstrate against the proposed law.
“It shouldn’t come to this, it just shouldn’t,” Mr Meddick said at the time. “I understand why people disagree. People disagree in a vibrant democracy. But you don’t have the right to come to someone’s house and make their family feel physically in danger.”
Mr Meddick said the protesters verbally abused his wife when she confronted them before leaving when police arrived.
Politicians, particularly the three crossbench MPs working with the government, have increasingly been warned of escalating threats.
The Age this week revealed counter-terrorism officials had charged a Victorian man who encouraged anti-lockdown protesters to bring firearms to State Parliament. Separately, some protesters gathered around a gallows at the protest earlier this week.
https://www.theage.com.au/politics/vict ... 59afg.html
"The factory of the future will have only two employees, a man and a dog. The man will be there to feed the dog. The dog will be there to keep the man from touching the equipment" – Warren Bennis