PHOTO GALLERY

Warragul Protest Success - Now for MELBOURNE on Nov 20, 2006

The Farewell to Ian Maxfield MP protest held at Warragul last Friday was a great success. Over 150 horses, horse riders and a good crowd turned up to protest the loss of access to public land.

Doug Treasure and Charlie Lovick announced at the rally that there will be a protest in Melbourne on the 11th and 12th of November.

Doug Treasure told the gathering in Warragul that the politicians are NOT listening – so we are having a rural rally in Melbourne to continue our message “Stop taking our public land and start giving it back to the people who own it.”

“We will go for another ride up to the steps and we will meet all our friendly groups out the road and march in together.

Speaking later Mr. Treasure President of the Mountain Cattlemen, said that “Ian Maxfield MP was conspicuously absent, he did not address those gathered, and instead he chose to tell the media that Push for the Bush is a Liberal initiative driven by Graeme Stoney!”

Doug Treasure said “Push for the Bush is a lobby group sponsored by the Mountain Cattlemen’s Association of Victoria, it was organised to protect the interests of people who enjoy public land and will not tolerate any further loss of access by Government.”

“Ian Maxfield chaired the Bracks Government Alpine Grazing Taskforce that oversaw the removal of alpine grazing. You would think after meeting with all of us regularly, he would have the decency to come out and address the gathering” Mt Treasure said. “However we know that those who do the dirty work for others are the weakest. He must feel the shame.”

This rally saw people protest from many groups: horse riding, prospecting and mining, trail bike riders, 4wd, and of course, the cattlemen with their cattle.

All of these people turned up to protest about the loss of access to public land. It is a key issue for country people and visitors to the country.

Doug Treasure told the Warragul protest that reduced access happens slowly and people hardly notice, until it’s too late.

“A bit here, a bit there, slowly it is all closing down.”

The Greens will win the balance of power in Victoria this election, unless everyone makes it their business to make their voice heard.

“The people who own our public land are the people of Victoria, not the Greens of Victoria”

Come and protest with us at the Melbourne rally on November 11 and 12.

For further information – Bob Richardson 0402 658 012, pushforthebush@bigpond.com

Warragul Protest