Victorian Minister Paul Edbrooke Finds 'RAT' Bullet on Car

Paul Edbrooke, the Victorian minister for emergency services, identified a bullet resting on his car bonnet as a direct threat to his life after it was discovered on Saturday. The metal object was etched with the word "RAT" and a specific identification number from his previous career as a firefighter.

Edbrooke returned to his vehicle on Saturday after meeting with local residents to find the projectile. The Herald Sun first reported the discovery on Monday. The Labor minister told ABC Radio Melbourne that he felt "shocked" and "horrified" by the find. He noted that the incident occurred one week after federal MP Helen Haines was allegedly attacked, though no link has been established between the two events.

The ID number etched on the bullet was not public knowledge, according to Edbrooke. He stated that the number was "very specific to a firefighter," meaning only people with insider access to Fire Rescue Victoria personnel records would likely know it. This specificity led the minister to question his personal security and whether he was being followed or surveilled.

Edbrooke pointed to the United Firefighters Union as the source of recent aggressive threats and social media abuse directed at him. The union is currently in a dispute with Fire Rescue Victoria, an agency Edbrooke oversees. The two parties have failed to resolve an enterprise bargaining agreement since 2021. The union has also launched a campaign against the state Labor government ahead of next month's election.

The union has authorized material urging voters to rank the Labor party last. It plans to staff polling booths with firefighters and run a paid advertising campaign. Additionally, the group is holding a meeting to decide whether to disaffiliate from the Victorian Labor party entirely.

Edbrooke said the incident made him worry about the safety of his family, who also drive the vehicle. He described the message as unmistakable, calling it a "death threat, a bullet with my firefighter ID number on it and the word 'rat'." He said he would not be intimidated by the gesture.

The minister warned that such actions could force politicians to rely on more security personnel, reducing their availability to the public. He said Australians can disagree politically while still maintaining a casual relationship with their representatives. "I'm afraid that with actions like this, we start losing that," he said.