Melbourne protest policing costs top $25 million as two-year operation continues

Melbourne has spent more than $25 million policing weekly Gaza protests since October 2023, according to the Parliamentary Budget Office. The two-year operation, known as Operation Park, was launched by Victoria Police in October 2023 to manage demonstrations in the city center and prevent disruption to daily life while the Gaza crisis unfolded. The office's figures show the costs have accumulated across two broad categories: operational expenses and police salaries, with the latter comprising the lion’s share of spending.

The Parliamentary Budget Office puts total expenditure at just over $25 million, with about $10.2 million classified as operational costs — allowances, overtime, transport, communications, corporate overhead and related items — making up roughly 40 percent of the total. The remaining $14.9 million covers police officer salaries for nearly 24,000 shifts connected to the policing operation. The office noted that almost 60 percent of the total relates to salaries, which it described as business-as-usual costs that would be incurred whether a major protest occurred or not.

Last weekend marked the 100th weekly protest since the demonstrations began in October 2023, when activists joined a wave of protests over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza after Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023. The ongoing demonstrations have continued as part of a broader cycle that officials have sought to manage amid competing priorities for public safety and civil liberties.

Opposition Leader Brad Battin criticized the policing bill, saying the weekly marches hijacked the city and made Melbourne less safe and less welcoming. He said the Liberals would pursue a protest-registration system to ensure demonstrations do not divert resources from crime fighting and essential services. David Southwick, the opposition police spokesman who requested the costings in August, argued that Victoria had moved from a protest state to a hate state under Premier Jacinta Allan, accusing her government of allowing extremists to operate with limited consequences.

The broader context of the debate is the ongoing conflict in Gaza. The Gaza Strip has experienced devastating casualties since the initial Hamas assault, with aid agencies reporting tens of thousands of Palestinians killed, including more than 20,000 children, as the Israeli military campaign continues. A United Nations inquiry released this week, involving three members including former Australian Human Rights Commissioner Chris Sidoti, found that Israel had committed genocide, a finding Israel has repeatedly denied. The cost figures and the political responses surrounding Operation Park come as Melbourne and other cities grapple with how to balance public safety, civil rights, and the pressures of large, recurring demonstrations.