Police baffleUPDATE 3.15pm: TRUCK drivers and their supporters today claimed a denial of democracy when their big rigs were denied access to the front of Parliament House for an anti-carbon pricing rally. But they left police baffled when they claimed officers had blocked hundreds of trucks in the Convoy of No Confidence from even entering the Australian Capital Territory.
Some 300 anti-carbon pricing protesters gathered in Federation Mall, in front of Parliament, to hear from Liberal MPs including Opposition Leader Tony Abbott, and the Nationals Barnaby Joyce.
Senator Joyce urged the rally to telephone Labor MPs and demand they vote against the Government's carbon pricing legislation when it is introduced next week.
"So I ask those members who are considering voting for this carbon tax to do the honorable thing and cross the floor," he said.
"I'm asking them to do one thing. I want them to walk 10 feet for our nation and cross the floor. Walk 10 feet for our nation."
Start of sidebar. Skip to end of sidebar. Related CoveragePictures: Coalition of no confidence Convoy fails to rally masses Courier Mail, 59 minutes ago MP slams convoy leaders as 'extremist' The Australian, 1 hour ago Govt, Greens claim truck rally a 'flop' The Daily Telegraph, 6 hours ago Canberra bracing for truckie convoy Herald Sun, 10 hours ago Convoy of critics hits Canberra Adelaide Now, 17 hours ago.End of sidebar. Return to start of sidebar. Numbers were well down on last Tuesday's rally against carbon pricing although Senator Joyce said some truck drivers were "out there riding round and around like Indians".
Broadcaster Alan Jones said the smaller-than-expected crowd was because "thousands" of people had been blocked from attending the rally and that "hundreds" of trucks in the convoy had been stopped at the border as they tried to enter Canberra from New South Wales.
"This is the most disgraceful thing that has ever been done to democracy," Jones told the rally.
"The people who have come here can't actually get into the precinct to be heard."
