‘On my own terms’: Why vaccine mandate protesters are in Canberra

Bundaberg’s Richelle Evergreen received her Bachelor of Education in the mail this week but as far as she’s concerned it’s just a fancy piece of paper that cost thousands of dollars and close to six years of part-time study.

Ms Evergreen is one of the 5 per cent of Australians who have decided to abstain from getting the COVID-19 vaccine, and is therefore unable to teach in Queensland.

Anti-mandate protests outside Parliament House, Canberra on the first parliamentary sitting day of the year. Credit: James Brickwood

Ms Evergreen travelled to Canberra on Wednesday to protest against COVID-19 mandates as part of the Convoy To Canberra. She said she’s lost the support of her family over her decision to not get vaccinated against COVID-19, and views the protest as her way of standing up to “segregation” in Australia. While there’s an array of people with a range of beliefs, Ms Evergreen said they’re all united in wanting to end compulsory vaccination.

“I never thought we’d see segregation like this in this country ... I put out a call to my friends on Facebook and those who couldn’t join me on the journey helped me out financially, I haven’t been able to work since December because of this,” Ms Evergreen said.

“I have a mortgage, I have to pay rates. I love working, I want to work – I’ve thought about getting it believe me, it just doesn’t feel right,” Ms Evergreen said.

Paul Kelly moved from Sydney to Elands in northern NSW after feeling “ostracised” in Sydney for choosing not to be vaccinated. He was unable to continue working at The Wayside Chapel, where he helped people dealing with substance abuse issues and those without a home.

Former service worker Paul Kelly has travelled to Canberra to protest against mandatory vaccination so he can “get back to helping people”.Credit: James Brickwood

“I like to think I’m a humanitarian. I just want to continue being able to help people while choosing what I do with my body,” Mr Kelly said.

The vaccines used in Australia have gone through three clinical trials and have been approved by overseas bodies. They have conditional approval by Australia’s regulatory body, the Therapeutic Goods Administration. Vaccination mandates have also been in use in a number of Australian industries for some years.

One Nation senator Malcolm Roberts railed against vaccine mandates in Federal Parliament on Wednesday, after former Liberal MP Craig Kelly, now leader of the United Australia Party, welcomed some representatives from the convoy into Parliament House.

“We have in Queensland at a time when there’s an increasing load on police to enforce capricious lockdown and other restrictions,” Senator Roberts said.

Craig Kelly speaks with people at the Convoy to Canberra protest in the front of Parliament House on February 5.Credit: Alex Ellinghausen

Vince and Maxine Milton travelled from Mittagong, NSW to join the convoy on the first day of parliamentary sitting in the hope their presence in Canberra will help lead to the end of mandatory vaccinations.

Mr Milton is 75 years old and lost his job as a mechanic last year for refusing to get vaccinated against COVID-19. He said he would have liked to retire, but on his own terms.

“I’m not an anti-vaxxer, I’ve had all the others, but I reserve my right to wait to get vaccinated until I’m ready ... I don’t want to be corralled into it by the government. We should be allowed to have choices,” he said.

“I don’t want my grandchildren to have to get vaccinated to protect me, my immune system protects me”, Mrs Milton added.

Suzanne Priddle travelled from Sydney to represent the Youth Advocate who has an application in the High Court for the injunction of the vaccine for children that will be held on Thursday.

“We just want to make sure it’s safe for children, then we can move forward, but we believe it’s been too rushed,” she said.

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