Bullet Etched With 'RAT' Left on Australian Minister's Car; Paul Edbrooke Fears for Family's Safety

A bullet etched with the word 'RAT' and his old firefighter number was left on the car of Paul Edbrooke, the emergency services minister of Australia's Victoria state. He says he fears for his family's safety after the discovery.

Edbrooke returned to his car on Saturday after speaking to members of the community and found the bullet on the bonnet. The Herald Sun first reported the incident on Monday.

Edbrooke told ABC Radio Melbourne he was 'shocked' and 'horrified' by the discovery, particularly after the alleged attack on federal MP Helen Haines last week. There was no suggestion the two incidents were linked.

He said: 'My kids drive this car, and you start thinking, "Am I being followed? Who knows I'm here? Am I being surveilled?"' In his words, 'it's not subtle – that's a death threat, a bullet with my firefighter ID number on it and the word "rat".'

Edbrooke said his ID number was 'very specific to a firefighter' and would not be known by members of the broader community. He said the only people from whom he was receiving 'aggressive threats' and abuse on social media were members of the United Firefighters Union.

The union is taking action against Fire Rescue Victoria – the agency Edbrooke oversees – in the Fair Work Commission over the firefighters' enterprise bargaining agreement. The parties have been unable to resolve the agreement since 2021.

The union has also been campaigning against the state's Labor government, vowing to run an expensive advertising campaign and staff polling booths with firefighters, while authorising material urging voters to put the party last in next month's poll. It is also planning to hold a members' meeting on the question of disaffiliating from the Victorian Labor party altogether.

Speaking about the bullet on Monday, Edbrooke said: 'I'm not going to be intimidated by this.' He added: 'You think of your family, you think of other MPs, and, you know, what happened in Wangaratta last week.'

In his words, the great thing about democracy in Australia and Victoria is that people can go to a polling booth and have a chat, and disagree in politics while still talking to each other. 'With actions like this, we start losing that,' he said, fearing a reaction in which MPs need more security and become less available to members of the public.