Campbell Newman’s sky-high support for border protests

Queensland’s new leader of the Liberal Democrats, Campbell Newman, says his party flew a plane above today’s border protests in a sign of support for the action.

A plane flying a banner stating “End lockdowns, vote Liberal Democrats” was the party’s way of showing support for a border protest “legally”, former Queensland Premier turned Senate hopeful Campbell Newman confirmed.

Mr Newman, the Queensland leader of the Liberal Democrats following his exit from the LNP, said the party wanted to “illustrate” its position that border closures were causing huge hardship to many.

More than 100 people gathered on the NSW/ QLD border on Sunday to protest Covid-19 measures, including the closed border, with a significant police presence on Boundary St to maintain the peace.

Anti-lockdown Liberal Democrats banner which was flown over the NSW border on Sunday. Picture: John Ruddick

Footage shows a plane flying a banner with the line “End lockdowns, vote Liberal Democrats” over the border protest.

The Liberal Democrats policy on Covid-19 calls for the country to “learn how to live with Covid” just as it does with viruses like the fly and that the policy of “zero Covid” was “absurd”.

The party is advocating for a “Freedom Day” to be held on December 4, 2021, which is when Australia will return to the “old normal” and there will be no Covid restrictions.

Queensland leader of the Liberal Democrats Campbell Newman. Picture: Steve Pohlner

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has repeatedly said there will be no so-called “Freedom Day” as there was “no special virtue in a calendar”.

“This plan is based on vaccination rates and based on a staged, careful reopening in phase B and phase C at 70 and 80 per cent vaccination rates,” he said.

Doherty Institute modelling shows there will be a need for some public health measures moving forward as vaccination alone cannot protect against Covid-19, as evident in other countries like the US and Israel.

Originally published as Campbell Newman’s sky-high support for border protests