Bullet etched with 'RAT' left on Victorian Labor minister’s car
Emergency Services Minister Paul Edbrooke says a bullet bearing the word 'RAT' and his former firefighter ID was found on his car in Frankston, raising safety fears for his family amid ongoing union disputes.
At a glance
- A bullet etched with "RAT" and Paul Edbrooke’s former firefighter ID was left on his car in Frankston on Saturday.
- Edbrooke says the incident has traumatised his family and follows aggressive social‑media abuse from United Firefighters Union members.
- The UFU is campaigning against the Victorian Labor government and has condemned the threat, while police are investigating.
Emergency Services Minister Paul Edbrooke returned to his car in Frankston on Saturday and found a bullet etched with the word “RAT” and his former firefighter ID on the bonnet, prompting fears for his family’s safety.
“I was pretty shocked to find that it was a bullet – not just a bullet, but a bullet with the word ‘RAT’ inscribed on it and my firefighter ID on it,” Edbrooke said. He described the discovery as “chilling” and said it meant someone had been following him.
He said the incident was also “traumatising” for his children, who are young adults and also use the car. “It’s a car [my children] drive. They’ve been in this car. It could have been them that found the bullet, and that terrifies me,” he added.
The United Firefighters Union (UFU) is taking action against Fire Rescue Victoria – the agency Edbrooke oversees – in the Fair Work Commission over an unresolved enterprise bargaining agreement dating back to 2021. The union is also campaigning against the state Labor government, planning an expensive advertising push, staffing polling booths and urging voters to put the party last in the upcoming election.
Union leader Peter Marshall condemned the threat, saying whoever left the bullet “does not speak for or act for firefighters or this union.” He defended a video warning Edbrooke and Premier Ben Carroll they were “in the gun,” explaining the phrase referred to the ballot box.
Political reactions were swift. Greens MPs called the incident “distressing” and pledged support, while Opposition Leader Jess Wilson expressed sympathy and called for a de‑escalation of threats. Premier Carroll said he was “disgusted” and praised Edbrooke’s resilience.
Victoria Police confirmed detectives from the security investigation unit are probing a threat against a member of parliament alleged to have occurred in the greater Frankston area, with the report filed on Sunday.
Source: The Guardian World.
Questions and answers
- Who discovered the bullet on his car?
- Emergency Services Minister Paul Edbrooke found the bullet on Saturday after a community event in Frankston.
- What did the United Firefighters Union say about the threat?
- Union leader Peter Marshall condemned the bullet, saying it does not represent firefighters or the union and clarified his 'in the gun' comment referred to the election.
- Is this incident linked to the alleged attack on Helen Haines?
- No, authorities say there is no suggestion the two incidents are connected.
