March In March protest ...What Was The point?

[icyfroth]

THE latest March in March rally is today in Canberra and not surprisingly some of the biggest names in federal politics are ignoring it.

Busy man that he is, Opposition Leader Bill Shorten was not scheduled to address the rally in front of Parliament House and nor were any of his senior lieutenants.

Certainly Prime Minister Tony Abbott and his ministers have other things they want to do.

Deputy Greens Leader Adam Bandt was to address the protesters, a token presence of elected politics from the party now deemed most likely to lose an election.

It would be unfair to claim these rallies are pointless. But while the Sunday March in March gatherings in capital cities were said to have attracted more than 80,000 people, they were mass demonstrations looking for a purpose.

There were bits of anger over asylum seeker policy, over economic management, over workplace laws. In Sydney Billy Bragg turned up to sing about Gina Rinehart.

Meanwhile, Tony Abbott was relatively comfortable with other endorsements, such as the Liberals’ 55 per cent two-party preferred vote in South Australia and the Liberal victory in Tasmania, to counter suggestions his party is on the way out.

The only point of march cohesion appeared to be a concerted belief Mr Abbott should not be Prime Minister, which makes the rallies about seven months too late. They should have been out on the streets last September.

Or they should have postponed their action until next September.

It is difficult to argue that this Government should be attacked for what it has done over the past six months, because most of its energy has been aimed at undoing things put in place by former Labor governments.

It won’t be doing much in its own name until the May Budget and the arrival of the new Senate in July.

That’s when it might be appropriate for some to march.

From Here

It was probably just a practice run by the organisers to see how many ppl they could gee up.

[lakeland27]

wilkie gave a good speech today, pity he doesn't have more to say in that vein.

[lakeland27]

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@ca04 wrote:

Oust a legally elected govt is exactly what this government attempted to do for 3 years while in opposition. 

They didn't care how much harm was done along the way.

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I don't rember them having violent street riots?

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  ?  what

[ca04]

what what??

[izabsmiling]

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icyfroth wrote:

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debra9275 wrote:
Yes, well it had nothing to do with the labor party or unions as those of us who actually went and saw with our own eyes that the vast majority of people were ordinary Australian families.


I'd proudly do it again next week 🙂

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What's next, then?

Escalation until we get the violent protests like in Kiev? Hundreds dead? Oust a legally elected government? Is that the road your'e willing to take? Are you willing to let yourselves be used in that way?

Because that's very much the way it can go.

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Icy , you've seen the pictures of our now PM at the No Confidence rally (when he was leader of the opposition).

these were his own words about OUR elected Government 

Now, ladies and gentlemen, should there be a change of government – yes, there should, yes, there should – and if and when there is a change of government, I cannot promise you that all of your problems will be solved but I can promise, I can promise that I will respect the Australian people, I will listen to the Australian people and I will be straight with the Australian people.

"That’s what we need. We need governments that listen, governments with respect and governments that are straight and the problem at the moment is that this country of ours, is a great country, it’s a great country with a lousy government and our task is to give a great country and a great people the better government that they deserve"

Thank you so very much.

 Tony Abbott

what's the problem for you if Australians give him his own message now he is PM ?

[izabsmiling]

"We will be a no-surprises, no-excuses government, because you are sick of nasty surprises and lame excuses from people that you have trusted with your future," Abbott vowed at his campaign launch in August.

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/silence-echoes-across-canberra-as-the-coalition-clams-up-2013...

[freakiness]

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@ca04 wrote:

Oust a legally elected govt is exactly what this government attempted to do for 3 years while in opposition. 

They didn't care how much harm was done along the way.

 XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

I don't rember them having violent street riots?

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Their supporters had a couple of rallies, not many people turned up though.

There were no violent street riots with the marches this thread is about either.

[just_me_karen]

We're discussing australian politics here, ca, not overseas.

There were no violent riots here in Australia lmao

The last one I remember was in cronulla, when extremist right wing gang members were attacking people based on skin colour and religion. That was a bit scary IMO.

[izabsmiling]

Correction to the error in my post #28 Julie Bishop should be Bronwyn Bishop 

[colic2bullsgirlore]

Re: March In March protest ...What Was The point?

So that all Pollies (regardless of type) remember where democracy got its start, how different it could be and who/what

actually initiated it and finally to remind them nobody is "above scrutiny"

"We swear by the Southern Cross to stand truly by each other and fight to defend our rights and liberties."

The Electoral Act 1856 was an act of the government of Victoria which introduced voting by secret ballot.

The act was passed by a one vote majority on 13 March 1856; it was enacted when it received assent from the Governor of Victoria on 19 March of the same year.

Victorian law was the third of its kind enacted by a government anywhere in the world.

France adopted the secret ballot in the late 18th century.

Tasmania adopted the secret ballot second on 7 February 1856.

South Australia enacted a similar law two weeks after the Victorian law, on 2 April 1856; led by secret Ballot pioneer

and advocate William Boothby.

When the practice was adopted in the United States, it was called 'the Australian ballot'.