Cow manure delivery stunt lands MPs in steaming mess
A farmer delivered the package to Premier Jacinta Allan's office inside Victoria's parliament house on Tuesday during a protest at the building's entrance against an emergency services levy.
A note on the vacuum-sealed dung package read: "Dearest Jacinta, I have considered your levy and here's my feedback, it's bulls***. Love Brutus + family".
Legislative Council President Shaun Leane says two MPs have been referred to an independent body that investigates claims of parliamentary misconduct.
The Parliamentary Workplace Standards and Integrity Commission will decide whether to take the matter further.
"Surely we can't get to the point where it's commonplace that differences in policies ... that MPs in opposition to those policies usher angry stakeholders to other MPs parliament offices front doors with boxes full of turds," Mr Leane said in a statement on Friday.
He said the presiding officers found the incident "very disappointing".
Ms Allan said staff directly affected by the incident felt unsafe at their workplace.
"The behaviour on Tuesday breached workplace safety standards and also, too, it was a significant breach of community expectations in how members of parliament should behave," Ms Allan told reporters in Geelong on Friday.
Manager of government business Mary-Anne Thomas has accused Liberal MPs Bev McArthur and Nicole Werner of facilitating the placing of the "offensive prop".
Mrs McArthur confirmed she was with the farmer when the package was delivered, describing it as a "harmless stunt".
"Labor MPs are acting like they've never seen cow s*** before - maybe they don't get out of Melbourne much," the shadow cabinet member said in a statement.
Opposition Leader Brad Battin has refused to condemn the incident, describing it as "internally focused".
"I'm genuinely concerned that the premier is trying to make this the biggest issue for herself, rather than talking about Victorian community," Mr Battin told reporters at parliament on Friday.
"We need to start thinking about what's happening outside these doors, not inside".
The new levy is set to raise an extra $2.1 billion for emergency services when it replaces the Fire Services Property Levy from July 1.
The average annual bill was predicted to jump by $63 for residential home owners and $678 for primary producers, but rebates will be available for volunteers or life members of the CFA and SES.
The Victorian government also promised a lower rate for primary production land and partial rebates for drought-affected farmers.
Mr Battin has pledged to scrap the levy if the coalition wins government at the next state election in November 2026.
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