WESTERN Victorian MP Andy Meddick says his positions on controversial Parliamentary bills has resulted in targeted attacks on him and his family.<\/p>\n
Mr Meddick said a number of people allegedly attempted to enter his Torquay home while the family was out, less than a week after he made his position on a bill banning LGBTIQA+ conversion therapies, that passed six days later.<\/p>\n
A trend in people periodically entering the MP’s property has emerged over the years whenever a controversial issue is brought to parliament, with the most recent alleged attempt to break-in caught on security footage.<\/p>\n
“Controversial bills come up and that’s when things spike and we get more movement in the driveway,” he said.<\/p>\n
“During the State of Emergency bill, it got to a point where my wife and my youngest did not feel safe at home.<\/p>\n
“They went to a place outside of the electorate and stayed there while the votes were happening.”<\/p>\n
Mr Meddick believes people are beginning to feel they have a right to harass MPs and their families which is often antagonised by fellow social media users.<\/p>\n
“I saw some stuff on social media, people saying I don’t have a right to feel this way and that we are fair game,” he said.<\/p>\n
“If people don’t agree with me that’s fine, have a go at me but you don’t have the right to threaten my family.”<\/p>\n
During the lead-up to the bill banning conversion therapies, Mr Meddick’s two transgender children were the subject of “vile comments” as well as his parenting being called into question by members of the public.<\/p>\n
“The least they said was that my children didn’t have a right to exist, that they should be ‘taken care of’ and that we were failures as parents,” he said.<\/p>\n
“I honestly believe a lot of it is genuine scare tactics, in terms of the population there are few people who commit violent crimes.<\/p>\n
“The rate of perpetrators appear to be going down, but these people are emboldened by what they read.”<\/p>\n
Mr Meddick is concerned by some people’s use of social media saying the platforms act as an echo chamber where people are receiving reinforcement for their inappropriate and threatening comments.<\/p>\n
“Certainly, due to ‘Trumpism’ and the use of social media there seems to be an escalation in threats and who people think they have a right to target,” he said.<\/p>\n
“Being in the public eye you develop thick skin, but I always remain concerned for my family.”<\/p>\n
Despite the unwanted attention around his family home, Mr Meddick says he feels the support of the Torquay community.<\/p>\n
“The good thing about living in a community like Torquay, it is a small town and yes I have a public profile, so people tend to know us they do keep an eye out,” he said.<\/p>\n
Suspicious activity around the Meddick family home and any concerning threats received by the family is sent to Parliamentary Security and Victoria Police for further investigation.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
WESTERN Victorian MP Andy Meddick says his positions on controversial Parliamentary bills has resulted in targeted attacks on him and his family. Mr Meddick said a number of people allegedly attempted to enter his Torquay home while the family was out, less than a week after he made his position on a bill banning LGBTIQA+ […]<\/p>\n