Bundaberg locals protest outside council

A former city councillor has compared the risk of catching Covid to “walking across the road and being hit by a car” at one of several ‘Freedom’ rallies held across the Wide Bay. See the video.

A large number of people gathered outside the Bundaberg Regional Council building to hold a freedom protest.

A large group of Bundaberg locals joined the many thousands across the state in holding a freedom rally outside the council headquarters.

The group gathered outside the Bundaberg Regional Council chambers on Tuesday morning in a silent protest against Covid restrictions, borders closures and the impact on businesses and communities.

In Maryborough, protesters gathered outside the office of state MP Bruce Saunders while about 100 people gathered outside the Gympie Town Hall.

Speaking to reporters at the Bundaberg protest former Bundaberg councillor Helen Blackburn said “we think we are one country and one nation and we need to all be working together”.

“The fact that there’s a virus happening at the moment, that doesn’t mean we should stop our lives, that doesn’t mean that the people that are healthy should be quarantined – none of this makes any sense to us and that’s why we’re here,” she said

Former Bundaberg councillor and mayoral candidate Helen Blackburn said protesters didn’t believe the government should be dictating how people live their lives.

“From my perspective we’re all healthy, we’re all happy, we’re all pro choice here – but we don’t believe the government should be dictating to us how we live our lives and how we can interact with our communities.”

Ms Blackburn said similar protests were happening outside local councils across the country and in New Zealand.

She said while protesters understood regional Queensland had some of the best freedoms from restrictions, they were standing up for those in New South Wales and Victoria currently subject to hard lockdowns.

“For us it’s about standing up for those people in New South Wales and Victoria who are being locked down against their wills and potentially losing jobs, money, families and mental health all for what? Because they don’t have the freedom to make their own choices,” she said.

“That’s what we’re here for, to stand up for them.”

Ms Blackburn also said people feared regional Queensland could still fall under the same restrictions seen in other states.

“We don’t want to be locked down, we don’t want to be forced to do things because a government says we can’t do things,” she said.

“Why can’t we spend time with friends and family? Why can’t we get around our neighbourhoods? If we’re not sick that shouldn’t be a problem.

“Less than one per cent are having problems with this condition that’s called a pandemic, we have the same opportunity to be damaged by walking across the road and being hit by a car – so it doesn’t make sense that we have all of these restrictions based on less than one per cent chance of being harmed.”

Another local resident Simon Guest was one of many who joined the rally on Tuesday.

Bundaberg resident Simon Guest joined the protest on Tuesday to support locals' right to freedom of choice.

He said he had been caught up in Covid restrictions while working away in Western Australia.

Mr Guest said he joined the rally to support locals in their right to freedom of choice.

“My main reason for being here is the safety of my children and my grandchildren,” he said.

“I am 58, life expectancy in Australia is about 75 to 90 so I’m worried about their futures, I want them to live free and enjoy the freedoms I’ve enjoyed so far in my life.

“Covid restrictions are a recommendation, it is a virus that can be treated naturally if you have a good healthy diet, exercise … yes social distancing and masking but I don’t believe children need to be vaccinated or wearing masks, they need to be breathing oxygen and need to be out in the sunshine and that’s what I want for my children and grandchildren.”

In Maryborough, protesters gathered outside the office of state MP Bruce Saunders.

Queensland recorded zero new cases of Covid-19 on Tuesday.

state parliament was also sent into lockdown.

It’s understood the decision to lockdown parliament was made as a precaution after intelligence received by Queensland Police.

It’s not known which protesters the information related to, with a voluntary assisted dying protest that had been in place since earlier Tuesday morning remaining peaceful throughout.

Originally published as Bundaberg locals protest outside council