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Victorian Treasurer's budget speech interrupted by protestors

Anna Houlahan
Updated May 7 2024 - 2:36pm, first published 2:16pm

The upper gallery of the Victorian Parliament has been cleared after alleged pro-Palestine protestors disrupted the state's budget reading.

Victorian Treasurer Tim Pallas was delivering his budget speech when the yelling began from the public gallery.

Politicians were cleared from the chamber after protesters interrupted the 2024/2025 state budget reading

When parliament reconvened Victorian premier Jacinta Allan called for a review of the public gallery and how the protestors gained entry to the building.

"The Parliament of Victoria should be a place where debate is undertaken respectfully either on the floor here or in the building," Ms Allan said.

"With that comes a responsibility for everyone to follow the rules, for everyone to behave appropriately," she said.

"There are many of us, all of us I would suggest, are absolutely devastated by the loss of human life, the injury and conflict that is going on in the Middle East.

Parliament of Victoria interrupted by alleged pro-Palestine supporters during Tim Pallas' budget speech. Picture Parliament of Victoria
Parliament of Victoria interrupted by alleged pro-Palestine supporters during Tim Pallas' budget speech. Picture Parliament of Victoria

"What we should be doing here in Victoria on the floor of the Parliament in our community is providing support not driving further division,"

"An incident like that, that we've just witnessed is only going to cause greater distress, it's only going to cause greater division, it's not going to stop the conflict in the Middle East and it's a breach of our safety that leaves all of us feeling unsafe."

This comes as Hamas said it agreed to a ceasefire proposal in the Israel-Gaza war while Israel pressed ahead with strikes in Rafah.

Anna Houlahan

Anna Houlahan

Journalist

Reach out with news or updates to anna.houlahan@austcommunitymedia.com.au