The Bring Your Bills event in Hampton Park had a surprise visit from the Victorian Premier, Jacinta Allan, following an early morning interruption by neo-nazi Thomas Sewell.
The event, run by Southeast Community Links (SECL), is known for supporting Casey’s multicultural communities, many of whom are grappling with financial stress.
Speaking to a crowd of SECL volunteers and residents, Allan said that the event is “incredibly powerful”.
“I thank the organisation (SECL) not just for bringing this together, but for creating the space where people can get assistance in their community when they need it the most,” she said.
Earlier that day, Allan was holding a press conference in Eades Park, West Melbourne, with treasurer Jaclyn Symes, when Sewell and an associate approached the group asking, “why don’t Australians have the right to protest?”.
In the video covered by 9News, he can be observed being blocked by plainclothes police, before asking once more, “why do you want to ban us from protesting?”.
The premier left quickly and has since released a statement saying that she is “undeterred”, and has since labelled him and his associates “goons”.
“It comes as no surprise that Nazis oppose me and my government; I wear that with a badge of honour,” she said.
“But this isn’t about me, it’s about all the other people in the community who Nazis target, like multicultural people, LGBTQIA+ people, First Peoples and Jews.
“They’re the Victorians who are on my mind right now, and they’re the Victorians who our anti-hate laws will protect when they come into force later this month.”
During the Bring Your Bills event, which was held in the Arthur Wren Hall on Tuesday, 2 September, Allan spoke to residents about their financial concerns, hearing from SECL’s CEO, Peter McNamara, on the importance of the event’s outreach efforts.
She added that she is aware of many families and people “doing it tough”, and the event is not just a “helping hand, but also giving people the confidence to get the support they need and to help their family”.
Coming just days after anti-immigration rallies in Melbourne where neo-nazi groups led by Sewell were present, the premier’s presence at a multicultural-focused event carried symbolic weight.
“As premier, I’ll always be out and about in public fighting for you, like I am today, I am not afraid,” she said.
“We know how these goons operate; they whip up fear to divide our society, and they will fail.”
