Truck Drivers Shut Down Major Aussie Highway For Vaccination Protest

Truck drivers in Queensland have shut down part of the M1 during peak hour for their vaccination protest.

The rogue group of truckies insist they aren't anti-vaxx but are instead pro-choice.

They're furious over lockdown restrictions and mandatory vaccinations and wanted to show how serious they are about their message that they're prepared to disrupt traffic and supply chains.

They certainly achieved one of their goals as traffic was banked up for kilometres along a vital motorway on the Gold Coast.

One of the truck drivers, Tony Fulton, told Sunrise they're happy to be arrested if it means they can voice their concerns.

"To stand up for our beliefs, our rights and the Australian rights. That's a hit we're willing to take to do what we believe is the right thing," he said.

The protestor explained vaccines shouldn't be mandatory in Australia and lockdowns need to stop being imposed on citizens, adding that politicians should 'just open up the country and learn to live with the virus'.

Two trucks were parked at the front of the rally and they had a banner draped across their front that said 'Truckies keep Australia moving, not politicians'.

Queensland Police said: "Delays are expected along the M1 southbound, near Exit 86, due to protest activity. Diversions are in place and motorists are asked to avoid the area."

The trucks were eventually moved on and traffic has resumed to a normal flow.

The protest this morning (August 30) is ahead of a national rally tomorrow (August 31) where there could be similar scenes right across the country.

Truck drivers say they are sick of being constantly tested for the coronavirus, as well as navigating the strict interstate border rules while keeping to their delivery deadlines.

The Transport Workers Union has distanced itself from the mass protest and doesn't support their rogue form of protest.

However, TWU national secretary Michael Kaine told NCA NewsWire empathised with their situation.

"Truckies have been the backbone of the Covid response, dealing with border chaos and closed roadhouses," Mr Kaine said.

"They are angry for a legitimate reason. The current testing regimen forces them to wait many hours, eating into already scarce time that should be used to earn an income.

"By now, the federal government really should have built a more flexible and rapid testing regimen that recognises the reality of long-haul trucking."

Topics: Australia

Stewart Perrie

Stewart Perrie is a Trending Journalist at LADbible. His first job was as a newsreader and journalist at the award winning Sydney radio station, Macquarie Radio. He was solely responsible for the content broadcast on multiple stations across Australia when the MH17, Germanwings and AirAsia disasters unfolded. Stewart has covered the conflict in Syria for LADbible, interviewing a doctor on the front line, and has contributed to the hugely successful UOKM8 campaign.

@stewartperrie