I joined them on Sunday, and I'm glad I did. They are an intelligent and energetic group, form all walks of life, a representative cross-section of our community.
The media has chosen to focus on how numbers were down on Sunday. What it has however ignored is that the protests are continuing despite the attempts by the government to hose down discontent. It is also ignoring the fact that while Abbott spent his entire time as opposition leader making claims the then government was illegitimate, he had to foster confected discontent with the assistance of the Murdoch press and the shock jocks. Despite his histrionics he had no widespread community support. He was forced to embrace the loonies with slogans like 'Ditch the Witch'. A banner he was happy at the time to stand in front of.
The March movement is quite different. It is built on quiet rage and has not been whipped into a frenzy by shock jocks and biased media coverage. It has led to few, if any, arrests, and there has not been the feral element that Abbott and Alan Jones pandered to, and the issues have been real, heartfelt and widespread. We have not seen another 'Convoy of No Consequence' since Abbott was in opposition.
They highlighted that Abbott government policy has cut across all sections of our community, in a broadly negative way.
Each speaker of the morning highlighted the many and varied issues on which the Abbott government had let them down. But beyond feeling let down, they feel targeted. The navy has felt targeted, being ordered to turn back helpless refugees (not the reason they chose to serve their country). TAFEs are being targeted as they continue to bleed jobs and as costs for students continue to rise. Universities are having teaching and research funding targeted, and they are concerned about the impact huge HELP bills will have on the financial prospects for graduates and the flow on effects for the economy. Indigenous people are concerned the gap will never be closed with the changes to educational opportunities and the price signal Hockey is determined to apply to health. Women's representatives feel targeted because Tony Abbott is the Minister for Women (and he doesn't represent or understand their interests). And they are concerned by the budget as it disproportionately affects women, especially vulnerable women. And neither Abbott nor Newman care about the environment - they live in a neo-conservative fantasy where the environment is the servant of the economy, rather than the health of the economy being wholly dependent on maintaining a healthy and functional environment.
If you're angry. If you want to see change. It is still worth taking the time to attend a march or a protest. But there are many other equally effective things you can do to be heard. Email or phone your local member. Comment online. Join a political party. Or volunteer for a local candidate. In Townsville you can support Coralle O'Rourke (in Mundingburra), Scott Stewart (in Townsville) Aaron Harper (in Thuringowa).
The removal of Newman and Abbott is well underway, but more help is always welcomed.