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.
A large map for printing and the media CONVOY JPG (600kb) or CONVOY TIF (2.6Mb)
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.
“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.
Peter Whytcross is your leader 0427025591
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 Camooweal Qld (Mt Isa has been dropped for Camooweal).
19th Camooweal Qld to Blackall Qld
20th Blackall Qld to Bourke NSW
21st August Bourke NSW to Hall NSW
22nd August Hall NSW to Canberra
Convoy number 2.Please put PINK balloon/ streamers to show your convoy.
Darryl Pederson 0418450641
18th August Atherton /Cairns Qld to Charters Towers via T/ville Qld
19th August Charters Towers Qld to Injune Qld
20th August Injune Qld to Coonamble NSW
21st August Coonamble Qld to Murrumbateman NSW
22nd August Murrumbateman NSW to Canberra
Convoy number 3. Please put LIGHT BLUE balloon/ streamers to show your convoy.
Tony Hopkins 0419600560
20th August Rockhampton Qld to Goondiwindi Qld
21st August Goondiwindi Qld to Yass / via Dubbo NSW
22nd August Yass NSW to Canberra
Convoys from Brisbane. Please note there are 2.
Brisbane Convoy 4 Please put Yellow balloon /streamers to show your convoy.
Russ Martin is your leader 0428370098
20th August Brisbane / Rocklea Qld to Tamworth NSW (Via Warwick)
21st August Tamworth NSW to Coonabarabran to Dubbo to Yass NSW
22nd August Yass NSW to Canberra
Brisbane Convoy 5 Please put WHITE balloon /streamers to show your convoy.
Your leader is Ken Wilkie 0427742554
20th August Brisbane Qld to Wyong (Beresfield ) NSW
21st August Wyong / Beresfield feed in NSW to running through Sydney to Goulburn.
22nd August Goulburn to Canberra
Convoy number 6. Please put ORANGE balloon/ streamers to show your convoy.
Your leaders are the legendary Matt Thompson 0427 815 595 and Janet Thompson 0417 815 595
18th August Perth WA to Norseman WA
19th Norseman WA to Penong WA
20th Penong SA to Renmark SA
21th August Renmark SA to Coolac NSW
22nd Coolac NSW to Canberra
Convoy number 7.Please put PURPLE balloon / streamers to show your convoy.
Convoy leader to be announced
20th August, Midday start, Adelaide to Mildura Vic
21st Mildura Vic to Harden (via Griffith / Temora)
22nd Harden into Canberra
Convoy number 8.Please put RED balloon /streamers to show your convoy.
Your Convoy leader Mr Noel Porter 0427285216
21st August Colac Vic to Coolac NSW (via Geelong / Melbourne / Albury)
22nd Coolac NSW to Canberra.
Convoy number 9. Your colour is GREY
Your convoy leader to be announced.
21st August Warragul Vic to Cooma (via Orbost /Bombala)
22nd Cooma to Canberra
Convoy number 10. Please put Black balloon / streamers to show your convoy.
Your Convoy leader to be announced.
21st August Mildura Vic to Harden NSW via Griffith / Temora
22nd Harden NSW to Canberra
Convoy number 11. Please put DARK BLUE balloon / streamers to show your convoy.
Your Convoy leader is Rick Finning. 0428510101
21st August Bendigo to Harden (via Echuca / Jerilderie / Wagga / Junee)
22nd Harden 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.
H/t to Cate, Peggy, Peter, Gregory and others 🙂
UPDATE #1: Unprecedented Troll attack! They so don’t want this to become “big”
The comments have been hit by an unprecedented troll attack of anonymous people who compulsively abuse the English language and throw names. The message is loud and clear that people are noticing the convoy protest and are doing what they can to stop it going viral. They are very afraid this convoy will romp across Australia. The organizers are more enthused than ever at the response! See Cate S #51, #236 and others. And 57 Tweets too. Facebook(!!) over 400 “likes”.
UPDATE #2 From comment #722 (Oh my. What a discussion…)
For those wishing to rsvp for the Convoy on here please email [email protected]
Subject Line – Convoy RSVP
Include, name, convoy number, number of persons and type of vehicle please.
This is ONLY rsvp email – as all information is on the justgroundsonline.com website – and routes are above here on Jo’s FANTASTIC discussion!
People – it IS huge – we need rsvp’s now for traffic control with the AFP assistance.
Thank you for your co-operation!
Cheers Cate
All Posts about the Convoy of No Confidence.