Statement From The Premier

I am furious that a small group of people have chosen to politicise a beautiful event for children.

I’m just as mad at all the others who have quietly stoked this division and egged them on.

Blocking the Christmas windows won’t change a thing in the Middle East, but it will let down a bunch of kids in Melbourne.

Who does that help?

We are all a bit sick of this stuff.

People have a right to demonstrate, no one has a right to divide.

We cannot let ugly protests ruin a beautiful Christmas tradition, and we cannot let violence, division and vilification ruin what makes Victoria great.

One of best things about Victoria is our unity and our diversity: we are 200 backgrounds strong, and we all belong.

The war in the Middle East has tested us just like it has everywhere in the world.

We must come out of it united, not divided.

There are different ways to get there.

One of them is a strong new set of social cohesion laws - to wind-back this culture of division and put an end to vilification and hate.

We’ve been working hard on those laws.

And I can tell you now that we will introduce them to Parliament this month.

I will not let the constant violence, division and vilification we see overseas creep into Victoria.

I’ll fight for our friendly state, free of hate.