‘Not Funny': Cow Manure Stunt Leaves Victoria Premier Steaming
A farmer made the delivery outside Premier Jacinta Allan's parliamentary office on Tuesday as a protest raged on the front steps over the Emergency Services and Volunteers Fund levy.
A note on the box read: 'Dearest Jacinta,
The vacuum-sealed dung package came wrapped in pink twine and with a photo of a cow attached.
Manager of government business Mary-Anne Thomas accused Liberal MPs Bev McArthur and Nicole Werner of facilitating the placing of the 'offensive prop.'
She has written to parliament's privileges committee to request an investigation into the pair for bringing 'discredit' to parliament.
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Allan said it was disgraceful behaviour and would not be tolerated in any other workplace.
'It's not funny, it's not a joke, it's not larrikin,' she told ABC Radio Melbourne on Wednesday.
'The staff member who had to deal with this told me that they didn't feel safe, they told me how their safety in their workplace was violated by this behaviour.'
She criticised Opposition Leader Brad Battin for failing to condemn the behaviour and suggested he had instead 'backed it because it was done by one of his backers.'
McArthur, who is a shadow cabinet member, has confirmed she was with the farmer when the package was delivered and described it as a 'harmless stunt.'
'Labor MPs are acting like they've never seen cow [expletive] before—maybe they don't get out of Melbourne much,' she said in a statement. 'If they're genuinely more upset about a pile of manure than the total mess they've made of their budget and this state, it's no wonder Victoria's going broke.'
The only way regional Victorians can get a message through to Labor politicians was to deliver a '[expletive] cake direct to their door,' she added.
Battin, who has been approached for comment, has pledged to scrap the expanded levy if the coalition wins government at the next state election in November 2026.
Tuesday's state budget confirmed that the expansion of the levy from July 1 will raise an extra $2.1 billion in revenue over the next three financial years.
It is expected to generate $1.8 billion a year from 2026/27 to cover the responses of more emergency services.
'Revenue will remain at that level over the forward estimates,' the budget papers say.
'Active (Country Fire Authority) and (Victoria State Emergency Service) volunteers and life members will be eligible for a rebate on their principal place of residence, farmland or single farming enterprise.
'The existing $50 concession for pensioners and veterans, and the concession for single-farm enterprises, will continue to apply.'
The Victorian government also promised partial rebates for drought-affected farmers and to lower the charge rate for primary production land.
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