'We need to be locking up evil people': Latham says Flinders St driver should not have been on streets
Former Labor leader Mark Latham has called on the Victorian government to start “locking up evil people”, insisting the man allegedly responsible for Thursday’s Flinders Street rampage should have never been out on the streets.
Mr Latham clashed with former Victorian Premier Jeff Kennett after he told Sunrise that police should have made a “judgement” call to remove him from the community.
The 32-year-old allegedly behind the wheel of the 4WD that mowed down pedestrians in Melbourne was known to police with a history of drug use, assault and mental illness.
“He is known to police, he was able to do what he did yesterday, we need to be hard-headed about this and start locking up evil people,” Mr Latham told Sunrise on Friday.
“The Premier described him as evil - what was he doing on the street?”
Additional police were quick to arrive at the scene and help detain the alleged suspect. Source: 7 News
Victoria Police has identified the alleged driver as a 32-year-old Australian of Afghan descent. Source: 7 News
Accusing Mr Latham of “taking a populist view”, Mr Kennett questioned where you would draw the line in regards to arresting those known to police.
"There are thousands of people that are known to the police and the authorities, they cannot possibly go around, rounding them all up and placing them in some sort of prison,” Mr Kennett told Sunrise.
“I understand, the morning after this has happened, things can get emotional, this is a tragedy, a tragedy for victims, families, all of us, we have all been reduced on the eve of Christmas."
New footage shows horrifying moment 4WD ploughs into Melbourne crowd
'Deliberate act': Horror in Melbourne CBD as vehicle ploughs into pedestrians
Witnesses describe horrific scenes as car ploughs into Melbourne shoppers
“That should not lead us to make decisions that are, firstly, unenforceable, secondly, runs the risk of living.”
Mr Latham said Australia needs to return to a system where dangerous people are no longer integrated into the community.
Mr Latham clashed with former Victorian Premier Jeff Kennett after he told Sunrise that police should have made a “judgement” call to remove him from the community. Source: Sunrise
"Thirty-years-ago, dangerous people weren't integrated into the community, the do-gooders had this attitude, let's integrate people into the community, well I say it's failed," he added."
The alleged driver, a 32-year-old Australian citizen of Afghan descent, was arrested after being dragged out of the car by an off-duty policeman.
He remains in hospital under police guard and has not yet been charged.
A four-year-old boy with head injuries is among 19 people injured in the incident.
The boy is believed to be in a stable condition but four others are considered critical.
