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Guards on shift change when Vic MP tussled

Protective services officers will now be on guard at all times during protests at Victoria's Parliament House after an incident involving MP Geoff Shaw.

Victorian Liberal MP Geoff Shaw
Victoria's opposition has urged the premier to expel MP Geoff Shaw (pic) from the Liberal Party. (AAP)

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Source: AAP


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Security procedures will be changed at Victoria's Parliament House after MP Geoff Shaw scuffled with an elderly protester on the front steps with no intervention from armed guards who were on a shift change.

Parliamentary speaker Ken Smith says there will now be protective services officers (PSOs) on guard at all times during protests.

"If ever there is a protest there will be PSOs stationed there," he said on Wednesday.

Mr Smith said, unlike the PSOs, the unarmed attendants from the parliament's security company present during the protest are not authorised to grab people.

Video footage showed two security attendants standing at the top of the steps while Mr Shaw scuffled with several protesters on Tuesday.

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Mr Smith said construction barricades covering part of the front steps to parliament were due to be removed in the next fortnight, which would give politicians more room to walk up the stairs.

"We don't have any problems as far as people protesting," he said.

"It has got to be a peaceful protest, not one where members of parliament are going to be in a position where they are going to be harassed on their entry into the building."

Mr Smith says it is a contempt of parliament to interfere with an MP entering the building.

Legislative Council president Bruce Atkinson said while Tuesday's incident involved an elderly man, the situation could be quite different.

"Members can't be impeded and it sets a very dangerous precedent," he said.

"It could be any member of parliament and indeed, it could be a young rugby player who in fact is a lot more vigorous."

He said a dedicated parliament entrance for MPs needed consideration.

Mr Smith says the incident is "reasonably isolated" but the idea of a separate MP entrance will be discussed, while Premier Denis Napthine said the proposal deserved consideration.

Last December, a man attacked a PSO with a hammer on the front steps of Parliament House before killing himself with the officer's gun in a nearby park.

The PSO was patrolling the front of parliament house alone when bashed.

After the incident, PSOs were ordered to patrol the building in pairs.

The Community and Public Sector Union (CPSU) is getting feedback from parliamentary attendants on security arrangements at parliament following the clash with taxi industry protesters.


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