Security call confirmed

By Dion Teasdale
WARBURTON wood cutter Mick Stormer has labelled the State Government’s assessment of security for Community Cabinet events as over the top.
Mr Stormer, who last week accused the Government of treating him like a terrorist, said sounding out the security risk of Community Cabinet applicants over the phone was unnecessary and an overreaction.
As reported in the Mail, Mr Stormer said he was branded a security threat and a troublemaker in the lead up to the Community Cabinet event in the Yarra Ranges in July.
After being advised his application to meet with Agriculture Minister Bob Cameron was unsuccessful, Mr Stormer received a phone call from someone who identified themselves as a Victoria Police officer.
Mr Stormer, who runs a small commercial wood fire business, said the officer warned him to stay away from the Premier and his 19 ministers during their visit to Healesville on 24 July.
A Government spokeswoman said it was standard procedure for Victoria Police to phone Community Cabinet applicants, but police last week denied they warn community members to stay away from public events.
Sergeant David Spencer from Victoria Police this week confirmed an officer had called Mr Stormer on advice from the Government, but said the officer did not intimidate Mr Stormer.
“The telephone contact by police was a part of normal practices to assess the likelihood of any change to security arrangements,” he said.
Sgt Spencer said the officer was satisfied Mr Stormer did not pose any threat to the security of the Premier and Cabinet after speaking with him.
Mr Stormer said he understood police had to ensure the safety of the Premier and ministers but continued his criticism of the Government.
“This is a strange practice. It should be unnecessary for the Government to advice police to sound out Community Cabinet applicants as security risks,” he said.
“Applicants who go to the trouble of writing submissions understand there is a process to be followed and they are unlikely to cause any trouble.”
Mr Stormer said he would continue to seek opportunities to discuss changes to commercial firewood collection licences with the Agriculture Minister.
Gembrook MP Tammy Lobato said she had written to Mr Cameron asking for an explanation of the handling of Mr Stormer’s Community Cabinet application, and was awaiting a response.
“On the face of it I am concerned that a member of the public says he has been treated this way and I think we need to get to the bottom of it,” she said.