AUSTRALASIAN BIKER NEWS

 

 

Hundreds rally against child abuse
October 3, 2004

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.
 

 

 

Back

HOME

Old news