Bill Shorten (Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Yesterday at lunchtime, on busy Puckle Street in Moonee Ponds, in the heart of my electorate of Maribyrnong, four innocent people were stabbed—two men and two women. I find these words still heart—

A division having been called in the House of R epresentatives—

Sitting suspended from 11 : 35 to 11 : 57

Yesterday at lunchtime, on the busy Puckle Street in Moonee Ponds, in the heart of my electorate of Maribyrnong, four innocent people were the victims of a stabbing—two men and two women. I would have walked up and down Puckle Street a thousand times with my family. It is literally 200 metres from my electorate office. So, saying these words, it is still quite difficult to believe. It's a terrible incident, which has shocked and saddened me and my whole community. To be honest, it makes me incredibly angry that it happened. Those who were injured were simply going about their daily lives—a small-business woman and members of the public passing by—when they became victims of an abominable assault. The owner of Amazing Bargains, a shop that is usually the destination for people looking for party supplies or parents trying to placate their kids at the $2 shop, was the first victim. Media reporting is that the owner was trying to stop the assailant from shoplifting when he became agitated, punching her before stabbing her. It is a terrible thought that someone protecting their livelihood should suffer such a violent and criminal reaction. After leaving the owner bloodied and distressed, the man then proceeded down Puckle Street, randomly attacking passers-by—one an 80-year-old man.

Thankfully, none of the four have life-threatening injuries. They're recovering with very capable help at the St Vincent's and Royal Melbourne hospitals. And, as always, at times of crisis, heroes emerge. To the courageous members of the public who offered assistance or confronted the assailant, I express my admiration and gratitude for your efforts to help. These brave community members weren't thinking of themselves. Human kindness and compassion, as so often occurs, overtook any fears for their own safety. They did all that they could do to help those who were bleeding and distressed or stop this from happening to anybody else. I'm also grateful for the remarkable response of our ambos, who were on the scene within five minutes, offering expert care and comfort to the victims. To the officers down the road from my office at the Moonee Ponds Police Station who worked in conjunction with the criminal investigation unit to respond swiftly to apprehend the perpetrator within 10 minutes, I offer my deepest thanks. I also thank the witnesses who Moonee Ponds police say were instrumental in the quick arrest, giving officers the information they needed to lead them to the Moonee Ponds Train Station, where they found a 36-year-old Broadmeadows man. Because our community worked together, the assailant was detained before he could cause any more harm. He spent last night in custody and this morning has been charged with 29 offences, including armed robbery, assault with a deadly weapon and intent to cause injury. He will appear in the Melbourne Magistrates Court today.

As I said, the alleged crimes happened 200 metres from my electorate office. This is in my community. This person is not believed to be a terrorist; it's believed to be one individual who, in an act of violence, shattered the peace of our lovely neighbourhood. We pride ourselves that we live in a wonderful and harmonious part of Melbourne which has been built together by successive generation. I may be a little biased but, to me, there's no better part of Australia than the inner north-west. It's a hub of rich cultural diversity where people from all walks of life gather to eat, work and play. Puckle Street, as I said, is a street I've strolled along with my own family for more times than I can count. Like thousands who live in the area, we do our weekly shop there and often stop for coffee. The incidents affected us deeply, and I'm sure that all who love Moonee Ponds will be feeling the same pain. I acknowledge the great small businesses in the street: Olga Kenny at Paulene Maree; Rob Furness at Sims Sports; and Phan Vu Alterations, on the other side from where this happened on Puckle Street. These are all places that I have visited in the last 72 or 96 hours.

I join in this with the local state member for Essendon, Danny Pearson, and Moonee Valley City Council mayor, Pierce Tyson, and councillors. Mayor Tyson said that it was incredibly disturbing to hear of locals attacked in the middle of the day in our part of the world. I just want to say to all of the residents: I share your anxiety and I share my admiration for our community. But I also recognise that this violent incident does not define Moonee Ponds, but the heartening response from the community most certainly does.