Victorian opposition pledges return of move-on laws
Battin says people should have right of way, not those blocking them
Victorian Opposition Leader Brad Battin has restated they are committed to reintroducing move-on laws.
The former police officer has pleged to give police powers that were previously removed by the Labor government.
Speaking at an ethnic media conference, Battin said such laws had been effective during previous Liberal governments but were abolished by Labor.
“One of our priorities, as we’ve always said about this, is actually having move-on laws that we used to have in Victoria, so if you had specific behaviours, the police would have the power to move people on. The government got rid of them,” Battin said.
The commitment comes amid growing concerns from Melbourne’s Jewish community about accessing the city centre on Sundays when regular pro-Palestinian protests dominate the streets.
Battin, who served as a Victoria Police officer from 2001 to 2007, cited a personal experience where neo-Nazis disrupted his event, forcing him and attendees to leave rather than police moving on the disruptive group.
“I think it’s a sad state when you actually have people who are innocently going along to any event, who then have to move on, rather than the police having the power to move on those that are offensive or creating offence,” he said.
The Opposition leader emphasised his party’s historical commitment to such legislation, spanning multiple terms in government.
“We’ve done it before. From 2010 to 2014, we did it in the 1990s. We have always been tougher when it comes to this and ensuring we give the police the powers they need,” Battin said.
Recent incidents have highlighted the issue, with pro-Israel supporters receiving move-on orders due to the presence of much larger pro-Palestinian groups, with police citing their inability to contain potential violence.
The regular Sunday protests in Melbourne’s CBD have created situations where Jewish community members report feeling unable to safely access the city centre during these demonstrations.
Shadow Minister for Police David Southwick has also called for move-on laws, stating that “violent protesters have no place in Victoria.”
Battin, drawing on his policing experience, said he had personally used such powers and would guarantee their return under a Liberal government.
“People going about their legal duties, about just celebrating an event, about enjoying their life, they should have the right of way, not people blocking them out,” he said.
The current Allan Labor government in Victoria has introduced new protest laws including mask bans and restrictions on terrorist symbols, but has not restored the broader move-on powers.