HUNDREDS of people driving cars, trucks and motorbikes today
protested against child abuse by joining a convoy which rumbled
from the Gold Coast to Brisbane.
Organiser Hetty Johnston, an independent candidate for a
Queensland Senate position at the federal election, said the
rally was a warning to paedophiles that justice would catch up
with them.
However, Ms Johnston warned that although there was enormous
support for action against those who sexually preyed on
children, the law was letting children down.
The rally, dubbed "rollin thunder", was held three days after
police revealed they had cracked apart an international
paedophile network that was operating in Australia.
Ms Johnston, founder of the child protection group
Bravehearts, said the response showed that people were demanding
better protection for children.
"The message that came through today was that we need in
Australia a royal commission into child abuse and the other
message was that the court system, the justice system is failing
to properly deal with paedophiles," she said.
"The police are catching them ... but the Department of
Public Prosecutions is letting them down ... the legislation is
letting them down because the penalties aren't harsh enough and
there's no emphasis on rehabilitation.
"These people are just getting released and they are harming
kids again." She said about 1,000 vehicles joined the convoy,
including motorcycle group Bikers United Against Child Abuse.
Police estimated the convoy began with between 150 and 200
motorbikes, about 30 cars and 10 large truck prime movers.
Police said they had no final numbers because more vehicles
joined in as the convoy travelled towards Brisbane.