Latest news with #MarchForAustralia
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Huge update on anti-mass immigration protests planned for Australia - as popular politician throws his support behind the movement
Australia's longest serving member of federal parliament has thrown his support behind a growing nationwide movement calling for the end to mass migration. Tens of thousands of patriotic Australians claim they will take to the streets on August 31 in capital cities across the country, just weeks after a 90,000-strong pro-Palestine rally shut down the Sydney Harbour Bridge and brought the CBD to an abrupt standstill, sparking chaotic scenes. March for Australia is the group behind the rallies and has described itself as a 'grassroots coalition of nationalists, patriots, and everyday Australians'. 'Our streets have seen growing displays of anti-Australian hatred, foreign conflicts, and disintegrating trust, while mass migration has torn at the bonds that held our communities together,' its website states. 'This march is a stand for the people, culture, and nation that built Australia - and for our right to decide its future.' The movement has already sparked a divisive reaction, led by former reality star/influencer Abbie Chatfield, who condemned the racist' and 'bigoted' rallies. While little is known about those behind the group, organisers have quickly distanced themselves from the neo-Nazi National Socialist Network, White Australia and Thomas Sewell Uncensored. As March for Australia prepares to share more details about the upcoming rallies, North Queensland-based federal MP Bob Katter is among the first prominent politicians to pledge his support. Tens of thousands of patriotic Australians will take to the streets later this month to address the federal government's ongoing mass migration policy 'We will be throwing everything behind the Sunday march on August 31 against migration,' he said. 'Our race of people, our country, is drowning in a flood of immigration. 'Now surely, if you're going to bring people to this country, there should be some sort of integration factor.' Katter added that an authority will be set up to represent the Australian people. 'The people of Australia are now in a rage and fury,' he said. 'And if you show contempt for the people of Australia, they will deal with you two-and-a-half years time at the next election.' Katter also addressed rumours that the march is being hijacked by supremacist and neo-Nazi organisations. 'I want to make to make it clear, I will have nothing to do with hate,' he captioned the video. 'We must ensure that this March is for all Australians, not hijacked by anyone else. 'Australians must unite. This is our lifestyle, our culture and our future.' Right-wing political commentator Rukshan Fernando has also pledged his support for the event. 'As a proud Australian I'm looking forward to marching at the end of the month with other fellow Australians,' he said earlier this week. March for Australia this week shared a Q&A ahead of more details about rally locations to be unveiled on Friday. The aim of the march is to address the federal government's ongoing mass migration policy. 'Due to the nature of how March for Australia developed, our organisers have come from a diverse range of political backgrounds,' the group explained. 'None of our organisers are associated with the National Socialist Network, White Australia, or Thomas Sewell Uncensored. 'Further to this, none of our organisers are associated with any Israeli, Zionist, Jewish, or Palestinian groups. 'Any attempts to hijack March For Australia for other issues, or to make it about any one group, are not in the spirit of the movement that we have taken custody of.' The group also reiterated that its 'peaceful' rallies are not intended to incite hate or violence. 'We will assemble peacefully, to defend our flag, our people, and demand an end to mass immigration,' it continued. 'It would be very convenient for the government and the lobbies that push for endless migration into this country if this day turned violent; it would give them an easy excuse to dismiss the millions of Australians who want an end to mass immigration by labelling us as 'violent'. The group has stressed that it doesn't sell merchandise, nor request donations. 'We don't want your money, just for you to show up with your Aussie flag,' it added. Daily Mail has contacted March for Australia for further comment. A Lowy Institute poll released in June found that more than half of Australians (53 per cent) believe the number of migrants coming into the country each year is 'too high', up five points from the previous year. Another 38 per cent believed immigration levels were 'about right', while only 7 per cent thought they were 'too low'.
SBS Australia
3 days ago
- Politics
- SBS Australia
These protests want to 'take our country back'. But the real issues run much deeper
Groups of Australians are planning to demonstrate on 31 August for the controversial 'March For Australia' protests, which call for an end to what organisers describe as reclamation of Australia's identity and "mass migration". The movement has stirred strong reactions online. Influencer Abbie Chatfield condemned the rallies as "racist", "bigoted", "disgusting" and "terrifying". Supporters argue the protests represent concerns about Australia's future and immigration levels. But experts have warned that the "anti-immigration protests" stem from misinformation and fear, rather than evidence that migrants are responsible for the country's social and economic challenges. What is the 'March for Australia'? On 31 August, six events are being planned across Australia as part of the 'March For Australia' protests. Organisers claim "endless migration, weak leadership and political cowardice" have caused Australia to change "in ways most of us never agreed to". SBS News has contacted the organisers for comment. One flyer read: "It's time to take our country back. It's time to defend our way of life. It's time to defend our culture. Stop mass immigration now." LISTEN TO While details of the protest on the site are minimal, the group has emphasised one rule for the march — "no foreign flags". Instead, they have called for a "sea of red and blue", with Australian ensigns and Eureka flags. It's still unclear who exactly is organising the march, with several groups allegedly attempting to take ownership. The official March for Australia Instagram account, created this week, has distanced itself from extremist figures like Thomas Sewell, the leader of the neo-Nazi National Socialist Network, who allegedly tried to claim the march as his group's event. A March for Australia spokesperson told SBS News "attempts to hijack March For Australia for other issues, or to make it about any one group, are not in the spirit of the movement that we have taken custody of." "Recent claims have been made by various groups attempting to take ownership of March For Australia or attach their own agendas to it. We wish to make it clear: the organisers are not members of, nor acting on behalf of, any other group." Last weekend, Sewell led a group of masked neo-Nazis through Melbourne's CBD just after midnight. "These protests should be condemned by every Australian," Chatfield said in an Instagram reel. Right-wing political commentator Rukshan Fernando was among a number of accounts posting they were "looking forward to marching". Why are these protests happening now? Liz Allen, a demographer at the Australian National University Centre for Social Policy Research, said she is not surprised by the March for Australia protests. "I'm not surprised that people holding such views would mobilise and want to be heard," she told SBS News. "Increasingly, we're seeing Australians fear that they're being left behind and that fear — whether real or simply perceived — is something that we cannot ignore." While anti-immigration sentiment is not new in Australia, Allen said it has evolved. Anti-immigration sentiment is becoming more coordinated and is borrowing international taglines and catchphrases, where Allen says in the past it has been more ad hoc and reactionary. However, she hesitates to say the sentiment is imported. "Australia doesn't need to import racism. Australia has its own homegrown racism," she said. Polling by the Lowy Institute in June 2025 found 53 per cent of Australians think the number of migrants coming into the country each year is "too high", up five points from the previous year. Meanwhile, 38 per cent said immigration levels were "about right", and only 7 per cent thought they were "too low". Compared internationally, Australians appear slightly less anti-immigration than other countries. A 2023 Ipsos survey showed 34 per cent of Australians thought the country would be stronger if immigration stopped, compared with a global average of 43 per cent. But still, half of Australians believed "society is broken" and the "country is in decline". Misinformation and the scapegoating of migrants Central to the rise in anti-immigration sentiment is misinformation that blames migrants for deeper societal problems. Common myths driving anti-immigration sentiment include claims that migrants suppress wages, steal local jobs, or inflate house prices — all of which Allen describes as "nonsense". Professor Daniel Ghezelbash, a scholar of international and comparative refugee and migration law from the University of New South Wales, recommends a "fact sandwich" approach to counter false claims. "When Australia's borders were closed during the COVID-19 pandemic, migration was at its lowest level in a century. Yet, housing prices still went up," Ghezelbash told SBS News. 1. Warn about the myth : "Instead of tackling the real issues, some political actors are just blaming migrants as if they're the reason housing has become unaffordable." 2. Point out the fallacy : "They're oversimplifying the problem to distract you from the actual causes." 3. End with the fact: "There are many factors that are driving Australia's housing crisis. And migration is just one very small piece of the puzzle." But Allen notes there is a large problem in Australia where not everyone is "getting a go", and said this is a sign of a more complex root issue behind anti-immigration sentiment. Four key drivers behind anti-immigration sentiment Allen highlights four major crises fuelling fear and resentment that can manifest as anti-immigration sentiment: housing affordability, climate change, gender inequality and economic insecurity. "These big four come together and create a tipping point that undermines the certainty of tomorrow — and with that comes a great deal of fear," she said. "It's not the fault of migrants, that's not the fault of immigration, but rather a deep-seated fear that someone else is getting or potentially getting an opportunity that you may not have the luxury of obtaining," Allen said. She describes it as "fear of the other", of being "taken over" or "left behind". "That loss of hope means fear can take over, and that's a very powerful emotion at the heart of anti-immigration sentiment," she said. The cost: declining social cohesion The latest survey from the Scanlon Foundation in late 2024 found social cohesion in Australia remains at a record low. Social cohesion is measured by attitudes across five key domains: belonging, worth, social justice, participation and acceptance. While most Australians support non-discriminatory immigration policies, the report found anti-immigration attitudes correlate strongly with economic and housing worries, rather than views on diversity or multiculturalism. It found almost half of Australians (49 per cent) believe immigration levels are too high. LISTEN TO James O'Donnell, the report's author, said economic stress and hardship remain the greatest challenges to social cohesion. "When people are worried about the economy and when they themselves experience unemployment, financial stress, their attitudes towards migration deteriorate," he told SBS News. "They're more likely to say things like, 'migrants increase house prices' or 'they take away jobs'." Allen said the timing of the March for Australia protests is particularly concerning amid already fragile social cohesion in Australia. "It's not a fault of immigration, but rather a number of significant social and economic issues that come together and undermine the potential future of the nation," she said. Allen said the key to countering anti-immigration protests and sentiment lies in restoring hope by addressing the real social and economic problems facing Australia and cutting through misinformation. "The root cause of these issues is fear — and fear is a beast that can quickly corrupt and overtake," she said. "Restoring hope is free of charge. "We can restore hope by tackling the issues that are at the core here: housing, economic security, gender equality, and climate change. "The rest is a distraction."
Daily Mail
4 days ago
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Tens of thousands of Aussie 'patriots' vow to take to the streets to protest a VERY controversial issue in a demonstration that could dwarf the Harbour Bridge march for Gaza
A new protest group pushing anti-immigration marches across Australia has addressed controversy over police permits and alleged association with neo-Nazis. The group called March for Australia is described as a grassroots 'coalition of nationalists, patriots and everyday Australians' and is promoting protests for August 31 at midday. It said the aim is for likeminded people to gather in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Canberra, Perth and Adelaide to demand an end to mass immigration. 'For years, Australia's unity and shared values have been eroded by policies and movements that divide us,' the website description said. 'Our streets have seen growing displays of anti-Australian hatred, foreign conflicts, and disintegrating trust, whilst mass migration has torn at the bonds that held our communities together.' But several state and territory police forces have said they have yet to be informed about the protests, with New South Wales and Queensland Police confirming to Daily Mail that they had not received a Notice of Intention to hold a public assembly. Police forces in Western Australia and Victoria have also urged organisers to engage with officers. A spokesperson for South Australia Police said they are liaising with the people behind the protests with sufficient resources to ensure a peaceful march. An ACT Policing spokesperson said the force is aware of planned protest activity later this month and will respond to any activity appropriately. 'ACT Policing supports the right of people to peacefully protest, however the disruption of business activity or other criminal activity will not be tolerated,' they said. When asked by Daily Mail for comment, March for Australia said the group has not finalised locations, which is its top priority, and so filing permits is not yet workable. 'Locations are to be finalised on the 15th of August, at which point permits will be able to be organised,' they said. 'Submission time requirements for most permits are incredibly short, ranging from one week to a couple of days before the event.' Little is known about the people behind the group but they have been forced to clarify that they are not run by groups affiliated with neo-Nazis. Thomas Sewell, an alleged member of neo-Nazi group National Socialist Network (NSN), posted on Telegram with a similar event, seemingly claiming to be behind in. In the image for the post, it promised a protest on August 31 at midday in the same cities with the declaration: 'It's time to take our country back.' Grassroots organisers March for Australia have made it clear that Sewell's post on Telegram which claimed the protest under his organisation (pictured) was false Below the poster, Sewell wrote: 'White Australia and the NSN vanguard have successfully completed the Winter National summit. 'After only just arriving home from our summit today, I have been informed that foreign fifth columns are attempting to hijack our August 31st public rally for Australia. 'Australians must say NO to Israeli, Palestinian, Chinese and Indian foreign interference trying to hijack our common sense patriotic spirit.' But, while still remaining relatively anonymous, March for Australia made it clear they are 'not members of, nor acting on behalf of, any other group'. 'In particular, recent claims by Thomas Sewell of White Australia are not reflective of the organisers nor the politics of March For Australia,' they told Daily Mail. 'We are not associated with their organisation. 'Additional claims that we are associated with Israeli, Jewish, or Palestinian movements or organisations are also unfounded and untrue.' Fraught protests across the political spectrum have garnered attention over the last month, including the footage of more than 100 neo-Nazis marching through Melbourne on Saturday. The week before an estimated 90,000-strong pro-Palestine protest on August 3 also took over the Sydney Harbour Bridge. In response to the march, former Australian Army soldier Sam Bamford floated a similar 'freedom rally' to highlight what he claims is a national crisis being ignored. 'What if I organised a rally to speak out against the mass unchecked immigration, to shine a light on 122,000 Aussies that are currently homeless, with another 10,000 added every single month,' he said.
