Convoys of No Confidence, about to hit the road.
Breaking news; Deliberate misinformation campaign started.
"The RTA is suggesting that this is an effort to “blockade Canberra:” “The trucks are coming from as far afield as Perth, Adelaide, Mt Isa and other points in between. At this stage the RTA do not know how many trucks will be involved but it is intended to be a blockade through the main streets of Canberra, converging on Parliament House.”
The organizers stress that there will be:
NO BLOCADE, OR UNRULY BEHAVIOUR, ACCEPTABLE ON THE CONVOY.
The organization has in fact been liaising with authorities, and will be escorted through Canberra by the Federal Police:
On the 22nd of August, each convoy will be escorted into Canberra by the AFP - VIP treatment!
Starting with Convoy 1
1. All Convoy leaders to be first behind the AFP escorts,
2. All vehicles to follow there after.
3. Make sure you are respectful and when possible thank the AFP for all the very hard work that they have been doing for us!
4. Once all Convoys are in, each one escorted by AFP (Car and motorcycle AFP)
The programme will commence
It is reported that the first of eleven convoys from all over the nation are leaving on the first leg of the protest trip to Canberra to force the despised Labor/Greens/Independent minority government into an election. The convoy hits the road from Port Headland at 6: AM tomorrow, 16th Aug 11, for Halls Ck in WA. The following day it will leave for Katherine inn the NT where it is expected to be joined by a large contingent of Territorians.
The mainstream media have picked up on this, which probably indicates that it is too big to ignore. The Australian reports:
What began as a truckies protest against the carbon tax has grown into a mass alliance of those outside the urban elites who feel they have lost their voice.
But it now looks likely to be joined by a wide range of supporters and vehicles ranging from big rigs to utes to campervans, and even motorcycles.
They will ride under the banner "Real people -- facing the forgotten issues with friendship and a little fun.”
The first of a total of 11 convoys -- each with its own leaders and colours -- will set off tomorrow from Port Hedland in Western Australia, led by truck owner-driver Peter Whytcross.
Starting at dawn, he will take his bob-tail prime mover 5700km across the Top End and then down through central Queensland and NSW to the national capital, a trip he calculates will cost him $3500 in fuel alone. And that's one way.
The call from the convoy participants is not anti-Labor per se, but for a fresh election so that, to quote Mr Whytcross, "the people of Australia can vote for a government with a mandate". "We are trying to make sure that democracy works," Mr Whytcross told The Australian.
Labor, he said, had lost its mandate by having its election promises hijacked by the Greens and independents. …
Could be an own goal, or at least a rushed behind. I certainly don't think it should become one but if people seriously think Canberra is going to be blockaded it's likely to get more publicity than it would have otherwise, plus Gingery Dullard's popularity being what it is at the moment some people might actually like the idea. ;-)
ReplyDeleteSo, are the mainstream press talking heads and "analysts" trying paint these guys as a small bunch of hateful radical kooks like ours tried to do with the Tea Party?
ReplyDeleteIt seems to be the action of some other group that is probably aligned with Getup, (Bawb, Getup is a bastard son of Moveon,) so its the old leftie hate machine in action. This is more likely to enrage people than convince them of Gillard's cause, yep, in other words an 'own goal'.
ReplyDeleteI am glad that the organisers seem to be aware of the risk of being branded as extremists and are emphasising the need to be orderly.
There has been mention of 'Tea Parties' but essentially this one is Australian in origin, and while there is an offshoot of the TP over here which is attempting to use the event to publicise itself it is not them that is doing it.
I am not against the Aussie TP but am not convinced that they are anything than a mob of wankers doing a copycat version of something that works for the US, but not necessarily here.