By 9News Staff
August 30, 2021
-Nine.com.au
After blocking a major Gold Coast highway, Queensland truckies protesting mandatory coronavirus vaccines are now heading to form a blockade in northern New South Wales.
One of the truckies involved told 9News the protest in Chinderah, in the Tweed shire, will be even bigger than the Gold Coast.
Dozens of truck drivers blocked the M1 southbound at Reedy Creek, on the Gold Coast, this morning, demanding mandatory coronavirus vaccines for essential workers be scrapped.
Traffic was heavily affected with lines of vehicles stretching back four kilometres.
With the truck convoy on the move, traffic is slowly moving again.
The protesting truckies want borders to reopen and COVID-19 vaccines to be voluntary.
Under current rules, only essential workers who have been vaccinated are allowed to cross the border.
One truckie told Today they want an end to the lockdowns
“(We want) people to go back to work, kids go back to school … we’ve had enough of it,” the driver, known only as Brock, said.
“It’s all about choice at the end of the day,” he said.
“If you don’t want to get the vax, don’t. If you do want it to get it, get it. But don’t keep locking up people.”
A separate group of truckies are planning a protest for tomorrow.
Federal Employment Minister Stuart Robert told Today he felt sympathy for the drivers but disagreed with their methods.
“Truckies are important but if you want to make a point, great. Make the point, but don’t inconvenience thousands and thousands of people,” Mr Robert said.
“That’s why we have the National Plan, a national plan equals a national hope and gives us a road map that we can see, that’s why it’s so important to us all.
“We are so close, we can see ourselves getting there. And truckies are important. I get it.
“But we have to get stuff moving and we know truckies move around the place. And we know public health is really important at the same time.”
