Something beautiful is unfolding. From all over Australia, people whose businesses and jobs are being driven into the ground by spectacular government mismanagement are gathering to drive from the corners of the continent to converge on Canberra to demand an election.
The productive class may not have easy rent-a-crowds for rallies and chirpy letter campaigns, but they have something that the keen teens do not — they have capital assets — in this case, assets that move.
When it’s obvious money and choices are being poured down a bottomless well, people are prepared to go that extra mile, or in this case the extra 4,000.*
It started with Mick Pattel – a livestock transporter from North West Queensland — who suffered a 50 percent drop in business when the Federal Government banned live exports to Indonesia. According to Beef Central he declared that the time has come for a re-election. The owner/driver from Richmond, who also serves as president of the National Road Freighters Association, started planning a protest convoy to drive from northern Australia to the lawns of Parliament House in August.
For preliminary dates: See below.
Convoy number 1. Please put BROWN balloon /streamers to show your convoy.
Cars, utes and semitrailers are descending on Canberra from all over the country
When it’s obvious money and choices are being poured down a bottomless well, people are prepared to go that extra mile, or in this case the extra 4,000.*
It started with Mick Pattel – a livestock transporter from North West Queensland — who suffered a 50 percent drop in business when the Federal Government banned live exports to Indonesia. According to Beef Central he declared that the time has come for a re-election. The owner/driver from Richmond, who also serves as president of the National Road Freighters Association, started planning a protest convoy to drive from northern Australia to the lawns of Parliament House in August.
“He hopes to generate enough support and media attention via the “vote of no confidence” convoy to convince the Governor General to dissolve the parliament or to convince Julia Gillard to go back to the polls. “
The central planning for the Convoy is at Just Grounds, though facebook sites have sprung up to feed into it too. Organisers appear to have been astounded by the demand and with so many cars and trucks wanting to join up they are changing plans, adding convoys, and even splitting some convoys to cover different routes. Some people are travelling out to the far reaches so they can join the convoys from the start.For preliminary dates: See below.
Convoy number 1. Please put BROWN balloon /streamers to show your convoy.
16th of August Port Hedland WA to Halls Creek WA
17th August Halls Creek WA to Katherine NT
Please note People from Darwin are to travel down to Katherine this day 17th of August.
18th Katherine NT to Mt Isa Qld
19th Mt Isa Qld to Blackall Qld
20th Blackall Qld to Bourke NSW
21st August Bourke NSW to Cowra NSW
22nd August Cowra NSW to Canberra
Convoy number 2.Please put PINK balloon/ streamers to show your convoy.18th August Cairns Qld to Townsville Qld
19th August Townsville Qld to Springsure Qld
20th August Springsure Qld to Dirranbandi Qld
21st August Dirranbandi Qld to Forbes NSW
22nd August Forbes NSW to Canberra
Convoy number 3. Please put BLUE balloon/ streamers to show your convoy.20th August Rockhampton Qld to Goondiwindi Qld
21st August Goondiwindi Qld to Parkes NSW
22nd August Parkes NSW to Canberra
Convoys from Brisbane. Please note there are 2.
Brisbane Convoy 4 Please put Yellow balloon /streamers to show your convoy.20th August Brisbane Qld to Tamworth NSW (Via Warwick)
21st August Tamworth NSW to Coonabarabran to Parkes NSW
22nd August Parkes NSW to Canberra
Brisbane Convoy 5 Please put WHITE balloon /streamers to show your convoy.20th August Brisbane Qld to Beresfield NSW
21st August Beresfield NSW to — running through Sydney to Canberra.
Convoy number 6. Please put ORANGE balloon/ streamers to show your convoy.17th August Perth WA to Norseman WA
18th Norseman WA to Nullarbor Road House WA
19th Nullarbor Road House WA to Port Augusta SA
20th August Port Augusta SA to Mildura Vic
21st Mildura Vic to Wagga NSW
22nd August Wagga NSW to Canberra
Convoy number 7. Please put PURPLE balloon / streamers to show your convoy.21st August Adelaide SA to either Narrandera / or Wagga tbc
22nd Narrandera / or Wagga tbc to Canberra
Convoy number 8. Please put RED balloon /streamers to show your convoy.21st August Melbourne Vic to Albury NSW
22nd Albury NSW to Canberra.
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See Just Grounds for the details.
MAP: Thanks to MapsGet for the map image I added the paths too.
* It would be 5,000-6,000 km from Port Hedland to Canberra. That’s some serious driving.
POWER TO THE PEOPLE .... UNITED WE STAND .... DIVIDED WE FALL!!!! COME ON AUSSIES .... COME ON, COME ON!!!!!
ReplyDeleteWell done people, theres a lot of Tasmanians that wish you well and would love to be with you.Thank you from the bottom of my heart. Have fun and tell them to stick their Carbon Tax so it never ever see's sunlight again
ReplyDeleteIm willing to come aswell. This government has to go full stop. The people need to take back countrol of this country.
ReplyDeleteThis is fantastic! Hopefully they will succeed and show the government that we ain't gonna take it laying down!
ReplyDelete1 million people protested in Cairo and the government fell. Just keep this in mind when you are speaking to other people, word of mouth advertising.
ReplyDeleteWe have 111,000 people on our page supporting you http://www.facebook.com/pages/I-Bet-We-Can-Get-100000-people-to-Say-NO-to-the-Carbon-Tax/163658930354822
ReplyDeleteThis Convoy is not just about the carbon (dioxide) tax; it is about all the bad decisions made by this government without any consultation with those who have broad experience in various industries. We can no longer rely on others to do the hard yakka; it's now time to unite, no matter your political affiliations. The snowball effect of bad policy is affecting us all. See you in Canberra on 22 August!
ReplyDeleteWe need this rally desperately. And yes...its not just about carbon tax, its about the most incompetent goverment that I've seen in my 60 years!. As a small business proprietor I'm sick to death of these turkeys constantly putting their hand in my pocket to feed their insatiable desire to poor it down the toilet. There's no more left in my pocket!..time for them to go !
ReplyDelete