From The Australian, the beginning of a nationwide convoy protesting the carbon tax. I’m sure the delicate sensibilities of the ruling class in Canberra, most of which don’t know the meaning of actual work, will be greatly offended when these folks roll into town.
Note that there are some familiar faces to WUWT involved. Read on.
Mass convoy to make ‘real’ voices heard
Peter Whyteroff (third from left) with other members from the convoy of No Confidence to Canberra, who will take the longest trip to the country’s capital, photographed in Port Hedland where they leave from on Tuesday. Picture: Aaron Bunch Source: The Australian
FOR some it’s climate change alarmism; for others too much wasted taxpayers’ money on boatpeople, school halls, or pink batts; and for others still it’s the importation of Chinese apples, the temporary ban on the live cattle trade, or same-sex couples rearing children.
But the common thread in what is emerging as a national Tea Party-style revolt in the form of a “Convoy of No Confidence” to Canberra is a burning conviction that politicians of all persuasions have lost touch with the real-life needs of the common man and woman they are supposed to represent.
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.
It’s an amalgam of butchers, bakers and candlestick makers who are mad as hell and not going to take it any more.
The convoy, whose drivers will start their engines this week from around the country and converge on Canberra next Monday, was conceived by the National Road Freight Association.
…
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.
…
Mr Whytcross’s convoy will sport brown balloons and streamers. The convoy starting in Perth and led by cattle producer Matt Thompson and his wife, Janet, will emblazon theirs with orange.
Mr Thompson led grain feedlot cattle farmers in a campaign against having the greenhouse gas emissions from their belching beasts included in the national reporting regime, presenting the sceptic’s view at a public meeting.
That speech, Ms Thompson said, led to a backlash from the Greens. “He put us on the radar screen in terms of the environmental lobby,” she said.
The Thompsons will pile their four young children into a campervan for the trip to Canberra, taking the message, Ms Thompson said, “to all political parties to not just ignore our existence”.
The carbon tax, she said, was just one example of how the government “takes us to centralised control rather than allowing the market to work”.
Here’s the map:
And the website at:
http://justgroundsonline.com/forum/topics/convoy-of-no-confidence-in-the
I think it is going to be like “Mad Max” meets “Smokey and the Bandit”.
In the meantime, some campy Americana from the movie “Convoy”:
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IS this convoy about social issues – or is that just an underhanded spin that The Australian is putting on this effort to try to confuse the issue?
[snip – go rant someplace else]
While I don’t agree with several points mentioned above, I do support the convoy, as the carbon tax is the most stupid thing Australia can do. Driving their industry out of the country, where the Chinese will receive them with open arms. Result: zero change in CO2 releases and far more pollution…
Come on Real People get that rubbish government of Gillard out.
Lets hope they remain objective in their complaints and use the available evidence to support their campaign. If they use the tea party tactics as inspiration they are likely to come unstuck and lose the fight before they have started. As a health promotion worker and judging by the photos I would also suggest that some of these portly gentlemen take a bit more exercise and a few less delicious Aussie pies ,or the long term climate issues are going to become academic for them.
For some reason I am thinking of the early Spielberg movie ‘Duel‘!
Suggestion to our Australian friends: get some stills of ‘Duel’, and photoshop in Julia in place of Dennis Weaver!
Party like it’s 1976!
I’ve been asking this question lately: If we had a repeat of the 1960’s to 1970’s with many consecutive harsh winters, would the AGW cult even notice it?
Nope, they would hunker down and make believe it isn’t happening and produce some satellite data saying January (July for you) was the warmerst ever!
Face it, it’s warm snow you got there. From warm clouds. Stop complaining! The Arctic is in crisis!
There is a lot of support for these protesters in Australia and much more than the media is letting on. As long as they can stay on message using scientific evidence, the detractors will be unable to dismiss them.
“When the people fear the government there is tyranny, when the government fears the people there is liberty.” – Thomas Jefferson.
May liberty reign free down under.
At 11:42 PM on 14 August, Anton had written:
The organizers of the “Convoy of No Confidence” don’t appear to have had any issues to address other than their objection to an unfounded, unnecessary, economically destructive, and – even in the “global warming” scheme of things – bloody worthless tax on carbon dioxide emissions imposed upon the Australian nation by a government in Canberra that had gone out of its collective excuse for a mind.
Let’s face it, folks. In the wake of a global economic meltdown, with the “settled science” of the great AGW fraud being proven to have scientific roots about as deepset as those of Birnam Wood come to Dunsinane, and after Gillard had made explicit commitments not to inflict a “carbon tax” on the people of her country, everybody in the government knows good and goddam well that this effort is nothing less than political suicide for every elected official even the least bit involved.
I wish somebody would explain to me why the clowns in Canberra – the professional popularity contest winners – are doing this. Perhaps they think that their victim disarmament efforts (masquerading as “gun control”) are going to prevent their constituents from getting up close and personal to drop-kick their pasty prats permanently out of public office.
It seems that nobody in Australia gives a teensy little damn whether or not Gillard triples the tax-free amount of their annual salaries to A$18,200 starting next July if this “carbon pollution” tax-and-regulate crap jacks up the prices of everything they need to live and hammers businesses so horribly that the number of Australians unemployed skyrockets.
What good is less taxation on your salary if you no longer have one?
But now that this “Convoy of No Confidence” demonstration gets rolling and is drawing public attention not only in Oz but all over the western world, the fact that there’s a generous plenty more that the Australian people hate about the doings of their putative “public servants,” and it’s inevitable that those who object to other stuff are going to hitch their wagons to this protest.
It’s an opportunity to be seen and heard, and what good is there in begrudging them that opportunity? Don’t the people of Australia share with those of us in these United States the same English common law heritage jealously guarding the right of the people to petition their government for the redress of grievances?
Considering what Gillard and her ilk have been doing to bring Australia “forward” into their insane and extortionate utopian vision, can anybody really wonder why there are so many average folks determined now “to look backwards” in response?
Matthew Sullivan says: August 14, 2011 at 5:21 pm
“same-sex couples rearing children” Is that really considered a problem?
Sure is, Matthew. Takes a lot of technique to master the concept(ion).
Tucci78 says: August 14, 2011 at 7:38 pm. In addition to the Southern Cross flags of Australia, I strongly suggest that the folks in this Convoy of No Confidence fly the battle flag of the U.S. Confederacy.
Slight dissent. We Aussies do not need to follow USA tradition when we have our own. The best flag would be the Eureka rebellion flag. It has been taken over a little by Unions who can be just as destructive as Governments, so this would be a great time to reclaim ownership of the Eureka flag as the symbol of a fair go for the people. That was its origin in history. Then it was a gold licence tax, now it is a carbon tax.
Also, we Aussies did not have a Tea Party rebellion Boston style. Instead, we had a rebellion against the use of rum as a currency. Without detriment to the Boston Tea Party, maybe we could call this trucking exercise “The Rum Run”. Rum, rum, rum. That’s the sound of power from a road train warming up. That’s what we like.
D Bonson ,
Thank you for your kind thoughts and the wisdom of Thomas Jefferson.
Our liberty in Oz is balanced on the power of a Mack truck and the thousands of mobile homes, buses and cars following them. I in my little Suzuki hatchback shall be in a convoy , not only do I have no confidence in my government, I hold them in utter contempt. Thus I march on the Capitol, in my Suzuki. It is too damned cold to go on my motor cycle.
Blade: re snow in Wellington NZ. And you say ‘The Arctic is in crisis’???
Australia is now a dictatorship run by a uneducated minority.
@Tib says:
August 14, 2011 at 6:54 pm
“When I see an article like this I really worry that WUWT is getting too far from putting the science of climate change under the microscope and becoming more of a political advocacy site. An Australian Tea Party?…”
Ref. “too far” – Hasn’t this AGW thing been very much about political, economic, cultural, social change? In other words, things each individual has a natural right to jump up and down about? WUWT didn’t get 85,470,542 views –as of a minute ago– talking about one side of a polyhedron.
Ref. “An Australian Tea Party?” – You may be right about that one mate. How about “The Austrailian Beer Party”?
Let’s hope the folks down under are finally waking up. No, rather, lets do that anti-American old-fashioned thing and pray they are!
Our site -Just Grounds is the engine room for this peaceful convoy as a lot of our 2800 members are devoting long hours of volantary work to make this a success.
The information there is the true NRFA approved facts for our participants. I have seen a few suspect attempts (links) to get in on the action and I would expect the Get Up -rent a crowd (on union money) to try a few stunts this week.
[b]The danger for the protesters is that the message of the protest is becoming unfocussed[/b].
This is a danger but it is negated when we point out that we only want a spill and an ELECTION NOW! The ensuing campaiagn would put ALL politicians and Parties under scrutiny like never before. If Gillard is returned -so be it – the people will have chosen the air tax and everything else,
Interesting comments on here- I have no idea where that same sex diversion came from but I suppose we should be thankful that a major paper is onboard..- they are only just getting the courage to buck the Govt led Climate Hoax. A lot of people here a bit short on guts and if we look popular enough- I think it is going to give them heartburn when we arrive a week today.
We have no choice as the science and logic means nothing to these UN -agenda21 zealots and the only way is politically put them on the dole!
Thanks for the support,
Regards Rob Moore
I agree with those that feel politics are (largely) best left out of the equation here.
There are many left of center people who are open to skepticism, including me. 🙂
Skeptics will have more success communicating with the general public if they stick with scientific objections.
Mac the Knife
pointed out a few things I didnt know – I am Australian – and only get an impression of the TEA party from the MSM but I guess the main point I wanted to make was better expressed by Greg –
“Folks are entitled to their opinions. I may agree with some of them. But one of the big uphill climbs for the skeptic viewpoint is the ability of the CAGW crowd to label it as part of some right-wing anti-science movement. Be good to avoid that.”
As some others have pointed out maybe there is not other way to affect change but by being political but as Greg said if it is possible the CAGW crowd will lump skeptics together with an anti-gay and anti “boat people” lobby, which I for one completely disagree with.
The science is the main thing and Anthony I realise you have a tough job and appreciate the hours you put in, so sorry about the whinging. It really comes down to opinion sometimes and as they say you can’t keep all the people happy all the time …..
You have no clue about the scope of WUWT. Hint: it’s in the logo, white print on black, at the top of the page. ANYTHING that causes Anthony to utter, “What’s up with that?” is fair game. Personalized with the pun on “Watt’s”.
Deal [with it].
And those tactics are?
Peaceful assembly and the lawful use of the ballot box?
.
(DON’T rely on the crap you read in the PRESS to make assessments)
.
“Matthew Sullivan says:
August 14, 2011 at 5:21 pm”
Appears to be more important to the Gillard govn’t than say, hospitals, education and transport etc. Any two people, regardless of sexual persuasion, CAN enter into a legally binding contract in Australia where all the “protection” offered in a “marriage” is preserved.
Tib (August 14, 2011 at 6:54 pm), this topic certainly falls under the category of “Commentary on. . . recent news” in Anthony’s subhead at top.
Not to mention that the putative evils of “carbon” are the product of an insane “green” political ideology, cynically put to the service of taxation by statist politicians and bureaucrats. The “science” is just the excuse, not the rationale.
pat (August 14, 2011 at 8:50 pm), many thanks for the link to Martin Durkin’s terrific blog post,
http://www.martindurkin.com/blogs/secret-global-warming-posh-anti-capitalism
Everyone should read it!
/Mr Lynn
I really hope that all your effort is not in vain. I suspect that you will be given the usual platitudes we have come to be fed by an incresingly dismissive type of parliamentarian. The poor old public, proletariat can be fed any line and they will swallow it. remeber to watch the guys in power for signs of graft, in order to face the wrath of the voting public there has to be a payoff somewhere for the politicians, they do not believe in the warming myth, just the cash.
Good luck lads and lassies.
Time to make like a Roo and hop back over to the prime subject of “Let Them Truckers Roll Down Under, 10-4 Big Daddy, Got Yer Ears On Clyde? Keep Them Trollies Rollin, Rawhide!!! We Got A Convoy!!!! Come On Back!!!!”
Hot Dang! There’s nothin’ like a long haul on a hot day to tell a sleezy politico his days is numbered.
Pedal to the metal Mate! God’s Speed!
Go theTruckies!
This shows real commitment, from a multitude of industries being destroyed, by the indulgences if an out of touch, urban, political class.
Anyone can E-mail, stand in a city street with placards, chanting about something they know nothing but what they’ve been told about, or add comments to a blogg.
But these guys are for real.
Driving up to 3,500 Miles ! some of them, in huge great gas guzzling trucks & at their Own expense, (that’s just one way).
That shows just how damn serious this is & to be driven to such desperate measures by your own Government.
If these Aussies don’t prevail, we’re all buggered , in what’s left of the free world.
Just 4 1/2 hours to go , till them Wagons roll, from Port Hedland, WA.