Mirani MP Stephen Andrew joins Mackay ‘no digi ID’ rally

Stephen Andrew and organisers from the Worldwide Rally for Freedom railed at Blue Water Quay against the proposed introduction of digital identification. DETAILS.

Mirani MP Stephen Andrew was the star speaker at the Blue Water Quay in a rally against the introduction of a digital ID.

Dozens of Mackay protesters have made their voices heard on the matter of introducing Digital IDs.

The event, organised by the Worldwide Rally for Freedom and at Blue Water Quay, sought to raise public awareness about the perceived dangers of introducing government mandated online methods of identification.

Worldwide Rally for Freedom organiser and Birri Gubba nation leader Tine MacDonald said, “some of this stuff will blow you away”.

“I’ve had to challenge myself and put down what I’ve been brainwashed with,” she said.

Dozens gathered to hear what Mr Andrew, Mrs McDonald and their other speakers had to say. Photo: Fergus Gregg

Mrs MacDonald has been a driving force behind the Worldwide Rally’s for Freedom in Mackay and has led protests against lockdowns, Covid-19 vaccinations and most recently the voice referendum.

State member for Mirani Stephen Andrew also spoke out against the proposed Digital ID bill as “dangerous”.

“It introduces a single point digital ID check that can be used to access all government services and ultimately any service or activity whatsoever,” Mr Andrew said.

“The voluntary digital ID bill has been stealthily set up specifically to pave the way for a non voluntary mandatory digital ID system, just as it was meant to.

“Unfortunately, however, governments don’t seem to care much about what their citizens want or need anymore.”

Mirani MP Stephen Andrew believes there hasn’t been enough consultation with the public on the issue. Picture: Duncan Evans

On the Digital ID government web page, the allegation the ID’s will be mandatory is dismissed as a “myth”.

Karen, an osteopath from the Whitsundays, said “it’s going to do what Covid did in a much broader way and we won’t have any freedom.”

“I won’t be able to access my pension, Medicare, my insurance, everything.”

Karen said that the current methods of ID such as drivers licenses and passports, which require up to date addresses, photos and fingerprints were “already pretty bad”.

Also drawing comparison to the authoritarian governments of the 1940s was Mr Andrew, who likened the bill to something from the works of George Orwell.

“You’ve basically got a collar on your neck,” he said.