Tollbusters

[Marsiegen]

In the early 90's the Goss Government failed to deliver on a promise and imposed Tolls on the Sunshine Coast motorway. For years people affected by the tolls would picket the toll booths and create bad publicity. They did this particularly at election time.

Partially as a result of this the Nationals always won the seat even though it was an urban not a farming community.

Eventually (I believe) the labor government scrapped the tolls.

The issue of the dam is more immediate. Once people start selling their properties to the Government the fight might be lost.

It is not enough just to have the signs on the highways.

Pickets must be started, rosters be made to ensure everyone is involved and not over worked and publicity sought by picketing things like sporting events, public offices, sitting of parliament or any place where the media is likely to be. Someone would need to be available to keep track of Parliamentarians itineries (not just Beattie or the ALP but all parliamentarians likely to be in the area) to be sure that whenever they are in the area a small party of vocal picketers with signs would attend.

There are at least 1000 people whose properties are affected by the dam. Each of these people must know at least 5 people each who might assist them. Then there are hundreds of non residents (like myself) who could spare a day a month. There should be enough people to have 10 picketers on any day of the week at some event.

It would also be nice to have a trailer with massive signs that can be towed and parked at places the picketers go.

Do nothing and Beattie will win.

[carolc]

Just a small correction. The Toll roads on the Sunshine Coast were scrapped by a coalition government. Goss lost the election mainly for the "Koala" Rd debacle and when Joan Sheldon (member for Caloundra) became Treasurer it was scrapped. Joan had campaigned heavily on this issue during the election.

[Marsiegen]

Thanks for the correction Carol- I had forgotten the details. I was living near Nambour at the time and remember how effective the Tollbusters were.

As such I feel that "Dambusters" might be just as effective if a group of people could be organised to picket every day of the week.

If 1000 farms etc are affected by the dam and those people have some friends and supporters then we have up to 6000 people available. People would only have to assist one day per month and you could have demos of 6000/30= 200 people per day.

I was at the Noosa Riverside CD launch on Saturday. Nice place but low key. I would have preferred people walking up Hastings St at the Jazz festival with placards. Can't get a permit for a demo- so what? Joh had lots of people arrested during the SEQEB dispute in the 80's. Do you think the Labor Government will arrest people for protesting? And if they do- great. Very hard for the government to take the moral high when they do what they hated Joh for doing.

A way to protest legally is to have placards on cars. Not little tiny stickers- I mean 1m x 2m signs on roof racks on top of the car. Have them on the car when you go to work, shopping or out on the weekend. Have rallies where everyone with a roof sign drives in circles around particular venues (shops, sporting events etc) to let everyone know what the government is doing and that people seriously oppose it.

Should anyone want to try it I can weld up a roof top sign. I will provide the steel for free. You need the car, roof racks, octopus straps (to attach the sign to the roof racks) and get some one to do the sign writing for you. I just need to know the approximate distance apart of your roof racks. Note- 4WD cars with signs would not be able to park in undergound car parking.