The Coalition has pledged $300,000, and Labor has promised $200,000 for security upgrades at a Hindu temple in Melbourne’s west after its electricity supply was reportedly cut twice in seven days before Diwali.
Liberal candidate for Western Metropolitan Region Roshena Campbell announced the $300,000 commitment for the SMVS Swaminarayan Temple in Tarneit, condemning vandalism directed at Victoria’s religious communities as unacceptable.
Temple trustee Biren Joshi told The Australia Today the community was stressed, upset and angry after the latest incidents.
Mr Joshi said the temple had been targeted 16 times in seven years, including before major Hindu festivals. He alleged the attacks were deliberate and religiously motivated.
Statements issued by the Hindu Council of Australia and the Australian Hindu Temples Council date the latest incidents to Saturday, 31 October, and the early hours of Saturday, 7 November.
Both organisations said the temple’s power lines were deliberately cut ahead of Diwali celebrations scheduled for Sunday, 8 November.
Mr Joshi criticised what he described as an indifferent response from the state government, saying practical support had remained negligible despite the community repeatedly raising its concerns.
His criticism concerned the response to the attacks before the latest temple-specific funding pledges.
Victoria Police has not stated investigative findings, a motive or any arrests at the time of publication
The Australian Hindu Temples Council said the incidents formed part of a history of theft, vandalism and intimidation stretching back to 2015.
According to the council, previous incidents included smashed security cameras, a stolen entrance gate, a switchboard being set alight, a firebombing and a vehicle being driven through the temple’s wall.
The Australia Today reported in 2022 that the temple had experienced more than 10 incidents in three years, with families concerned about the safety of children attending religious and language classes.
Australian Hindu Temples Council president Kulwant Joshi said the damage had consequences beyond the cost of repairs.
“This is a place of worship, not a target,” he said in the council’s statement.
“Our devotees, women, children and elders among them, should not have to weigh their safety against their faith.”
The council called on Victoria Police to investigate the pattern as suspected targeted or bias-motivated offending, provide visible patrols and appoint a named liaison officer to give the temple regular updates.
It also urged government authorities to fund security infrastructure and monitoring, and called on Wyndham City Council and local parliamentarians to assist with surveillance, lighting and access security.
Council secretary Shan Pillai said the community wanted sustained action.
“We have reported every attack, installed cameras, and asked politely, year after year. Patience is not the same as acceptance,” he said.
Labor’s member for Tarneit, Dylan Wight, has also announced a $200,000 security commitment if the government is re-elected.
Mr Wight told Australia Today that the security improvements would be determined in consultation with temple management.
The competing election pledges follow mounting concern from temple representatives and Hindu organisations over repeated damage at the premises on Davis Road in Mount Cottrell, in the Tarneit area.
The Hindu Council of Australia’s Victorian chapter separately condemned the repeated incidents in a statement.
President Gurpreet Verma said,
It said women, children and older devotees were increasingly concerned about attending the temple. The council alleged that nobody had been identified or held accountable despite repeated reports to police, and called for a thorough investigation.
Mr Wight, in his statement, condemned the cutting of power lines on 31 October and acknowledged the community’s frustration.
“No community should have to continually repair damage to their place of worship or fear for their safety when coming together to celebrate their faith and culture,” he said.
He also acknowledged the financial and emotional toll of the repeated incidents.
Shadow Minister for Multicultural and Multifaith Affairs Evan Mulholland condemned the damage in a statement dated 8 November.
He said the community had paid thousands of dollars to reconnect electricity after the first incident, only for the supply to be cut again before Diwali.
“No faith community in Victoria should have to live like this,” Mr Mulholland said.
“Families, women and children deserve to feel safe at their place of worship.”
The temple-specific pledges come after Premier Ben Carroll announced a broader proposed Temple and Gurdwara Safety Fund worth more than $11 million, including $1 million earmarked for Sri Durga Temple in Deanside.
That fund, announced on 1 November, is a Labor election commitment conditional on re-election at the 28 November state poll. The original announcement did not identify an allocation for SMVS.
The latest commitments give SMVS worshippers specific security funding promises from both major parties. The community organisations are also seeking police action, regular updates and practical protection to prevent further attacks.
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