A Mount Gambier protester has travelled to Canberra to take part in a national freedom rally.
Limestone Coast Pro Choice committee member Maddy Fry is in Canberra “fighting for everyone back home”.
Miss Fry and her partner Bec travelled to the nation’s capital 10 days ago for a meeting at Parliament House as part of the convoy to Canberra, an idea originating from a similar campaign in Canada.
Miss Fry said the convoy’s aim was to get as many trucks, cars and people converging on Canberra to end COVID-19 mandates and border restrictions as well as highlighting that many jobs had been lost during the pandemic.
Miss Fry is waiting with many others on the front lawn of Parliament House and feels that progress is being made.
“Graham Hood a Qantas Airline pilot that lost his job due to the mandates and positive spokesperson for the movement has been invited to meet with PM Scott Morrison and other politicians to discuss what the crowd are asking for,” Miss Fry said.
Miss Fry said she had travelled to Canberra to stand up for the Limestone Coast community.
“Most of us do not have money, Bec and I are surviving off our local community funding us to be up here,” she said.
“We put out a call on the afternoon before the convoy that we would like to come to Canberra because we had a lot to do with the rallies at home and we wanted to take it one step further by representing the local community in our capital city.
“Within four hours we raised the desired amount of funds we needed to get up here and have accommodation for a couple of nights.”
Miss Fry said when the local community realised the fight was not going to be over and done within two or three nights, they continued to send funds.
“People are coming up and bringing us resources and other members from our community are coming up and staying with us to show support,” she said.
“Without their support, we could not sustain it and if it was not for the people in the Limestone Coast we would not be able to be here fighting for everyone’s freedom back home.”
Miss Fry said she would stay in Canberra until she could return to a life that was “slightly back to normal” and there was no longer a state of emergency declaration in South Australia.
“That’s what we will be up here for, until everyone can go back to their jobs and no one else is forced to have another booster.
“That is how long we’ll be up here,” she said.
“Every individual is different, but I will not be going home until I know that I have done my job.
“Even if by chance we fail at what we are trying to do, we know as a country through all the heartache and turmoil we have endured for the last few years that we have each other’s backs.”
