Electorate office damage is not only costing taxpayers but preventing access to services

Taxpayers are footing a whopping bill for damage caused to electorate offices by pro-Palestine protesters riled up about the conflict in Gaza.

Taxpayers have had to fork out hundreds of thousands of dollars to repair shocking acts of vandalism to federal electorate offices since Hamas’s October 7 attack on Israel.

Bricks have been hurled through windows, shopfronts graffitied and covered with red paint, as well as broken into, during concerted attacks on politicians’ offices.

Pro-Palestine protesters on Saturday held a rally outside Labor MP Ged Kearney’s office in defiance of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s rebuke earlier this month – after he denounced the costly damage, abuse of electorate office staff and intimidatory tactics preventing constituents from accessing vital services.

Mr Albanese and Opposition leader Peter Dutton united to condemn the behaviour of some Greens MPs and members engaging in demonstrations outside offices, and deliberately spreading misinformation online to fuel division.

Bill Shorten’s electorate office in Moonee Ponds was targeted by vandals. Picture: Supplied

At least two electorate offices a week in Victoria are reporting incidents of serious vandalism linked to protest activity.

But this is only the tip of the ice berg, with staff regularly dealing with minor incidents such as peeling inflammatory stickers off windows, and dealing with fake dead bodies dumped outside.

Clean up and repair bills to replace damaged signage, intercoms and external cameras, as well as high pressure hose footpaths outside offices, is costing up to $1000 each time.

New details obtained by the Herald Sun reveal the government estimates the cost of property repairs since October 7 is in the “hundreds of thousands” of dollars.

The Australian Federal Police are also increasingly advising electorate offices to close due to threats, security concerns and protest activity about the conflict in Gaza.

Labor politicians representing inner Melbourne suburbs, including Cooper MP Ged Kearney, Wills MP Peter Khalil and Fraser MP Daniel Mulino, have been repeatedly targeted.

Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles has also had at least a dozen incidents that have caused damage at his Geelong offices, costing more than $20,000.

Fake bodies outside Labor MP Peter Khalil’s electorate office in Coburg. Picture: Twitter

Shutters have been installed at Mr Khalil’s electorate office on Sydney Rd following extensive spray paint, glue, and damage to CCTV cameras.

Mr Khalil said he supported the right to peaceful protest. But some incidents had crossed the line into violence, intimidation and hate speech.

“Every time my office has to close due to repairs, or because of protest activity requiring evacuation, my staff are unable to do their jobs – that has directly included helping constituents with their pensions, their NDIS inquiries, tax issues and also people who have families in Gaza trying to leave for safety which my staff have spent countless hours assisting,” he said.

Ms Kearney, a long-term supporter of Palestine, said she welcomed the peaceful rallies that brought attention to the issue.

But she said: “The small minority of protests which include violence and repeated damage to public property is concerning and detracts from the Palestinian cause”.

Bricks are thrown through the window of Ged Kearney’s electorate office. Picture: Supplied

Mr Mulino, who was shoved by pro-Palestine protesters outside Victorian Labor’s state conference, was recently forced to shut for almost two weeks due to staff safety concerns.

“Destroying property, pushing and shoving people and intimidating electorate office staff trying to help constituents does nothing to progress peace,” he said.

Victorian Liberal Senator James Paterson, whose office has also been damaged, said it must stop.

“These vandals should be charged for their crimes or this will keep happening, at great cost to taxpayers,” Senator Paterson said.

Special Minister of State, Senator Don Farrell, said the right to protest should never be confused with a right to attack or threaten staff or workers.

“I’m a lifelong unionist. The safety of staff in the workplace is my highest priority – and that includes those working in parliamentary offices,” Senator Farrell said.