Around Australia thousands of people have taken to the streets to voice their opposition to the Abbott Government. Here in Perth a small crowd of several hundred gathered for the speeches delivered in Langley Park, but the time the march around the city began the numbers had swelled to several thousand.
The ‘March in March’ movement has seen thousand of people take to the streets in capital cities and regional communities to highlight a wide range of issues including marriage equality, environmental issues, education funding, immigration and asylum speaker issues.
At the Perth rally former Senator Jo Valentine (pictured above) was the first speaker to step up to the microphone announcing she had a new name for incumbent government branding them the “regressive unravelers.”
“Regressive; going backwards and unravelers; undoing a lot of the good work that was done, not easily by the the previous government and the Greens.” explained Valentine.
“Climate change is the most significant thing effecting our planet.” Valentine said, “this government is running away and not doing anything about it.”
While the speeches were occurring a camera drone circled over the crowd, repetitively zooming across the crowd taking video footage of the speeches and the audience. Despite murmurs in the crowd that this was the police or ASIO, the owner turned out to be an enthusiastic YouTube video maker.
Other speakers included Marcus Hampson who spoke about his work at the Refugees Rights Action Network, Sam Cavallaro from the Curtin Universty Student Guild who argued against increased costs for students attending University, Alex Bainbridge spoke about the dangers of the Trans Pacific Partnership and the lack of transparency around its creation, while Andrew Haywood highlighted the challenges of surviving on a disability pension.
After the speeches were completed the large crowd set off on a march that took them from Langley Park on the city’s foreshore through the city and the Hay Street Shopping Mall, causing traffic congestion and the crowd closed off St George’s Terrace. Police who were not present at the beginning of the protest scrambled to manage the traffic.
Prime Minister Tony Abbott has commented on the protests. Speaking to the ABC the Prime Minister brushed off the protests noting that the St Patrick’s Day [parade may be more popular.
“My understanding is that the only big rally in Sydney is the St Patrick’s Day parade,” Mr Abbott said.
“That is the big event in Sydney today. I wish all of them well.
“If their parade is rained on, there is always some Guinness available around the city.”
Take a look at all our photos from today’s protest.
Graeme Watson
