With just weeks to go before the March for Australia rallies, the swirl of endorsements, warnings, and personal safety concerns is reshaping how the event is being seen in the public eye. What began as a grassroots call to end mass immigration has grown into a politically charged moment, attracting support from some, scepticism from others, and a heightened debate about extremist infiltration.
New South Wales MP John Ruddick has become one of the latest political voices to weigh in, saying: “I support a five year immigration pause. During the pause, we can have a sober debate about what’s optimal going forward. One thing is certain—Australia’s current immigration program is way too large.” His intervention reflects a broader push among some elected figures to keep the conversation firmly on migration numbers, even as other elements threaten to overshadow the issue.
Drew Pavlou, renowned for his vocal criticism of the Chinese government, advocacy for democracy in Hong Kong, and leadership in university protests at the University of Queensland, used a new video to return to his analogy of the May 1968 Paris counter-rallies, describing how President Charles de Gaulle’s call brought hundreds of thousands onto the Champs-Élysées and shifted the course of events. “The August 31 rally must be a moment of national unity, like the May 1968 rallies in France,” he said. “It must be a family-friendly event that brings people together, not a platform for division and violence… We cannot afford to have a repeat of the Cronulla riots of 2005… The organisers… must make it clear that anyone who seeks to promote violence or division will not be welcome.” For Pavlou, the lesson is that a disciplined, unifying approach can strengthen the cause, whereas chaos could damage it for years.
On the streets, the conversation has shifted to practical safety. In Melbourne’s CBD, where one of the largest rallies is expected, workers and business owners are weighing their options. Syed, an Uber driver whose name has been changed to protect his identity, said: “I’m not planning to work on the day. I do not want to be in any trouble. I’ll stay away from the roads.” Another driver, Mohit, also a changed name, who works in construction as well, said he will drive despite the risk: “I have a mortgage to pay… the cost-of-living crisis is a big issue… just to afford things I’ve got to work two jobs, same with my wife. We’ve been hearing it will be risky to drive that day as we may be easy targets.”
Others, like Mahesh, who runs a restaurant in the CBD, intend to keep their doors open regardless. “I will remain open,” he said simply, reflecting the calculation that visibility and trade may outweigh the potential disruption.
For some, the rally’s message is appealing but the fear of extremist presence remains a deterrent. On X, Sinead posted: “As a migrant Australian woman, I would like to participate in Brisbane but am worried about the ‘Thomas Sewel’ types… Just wondering if there is a group that l can rely on for security reasons.”
That anxiety is being amplified in some community circles. In recent days, a WhatsApp message shared among Indian Australian groups has urged people to avoid city centres on 31 August entirely. Written by a registered migration agent and invoking memories of the 2005 Cronulla riots, the message warns: “Right wing white extremists and even neo Nazis may target people of colour… Indians, Asians, Middle Easterns were especially targeted [in 2005]… Anyone who appears to be non-Australian are targeted. PLEASE WARN EVERYONE.” It describes the March for Australia as one of several anti-immigration protests planned nationwide, warns of potential violence on public transport and in public areas, and calls for extra vigilance. While police in each state have said they are monitoring the situation closely, such messages show how seriously some communities are taking the risk.
Political endorsements are still landing, with veteran MP Bob Katter releasing a second statement in support: “We will be throwing everything behind the march against migration… because the people of Australia are in a rage of fury.” His words stand in sharp contrast to those of former State and Federal political adviser George Mamalis, who told followers the rally “has been hijacked—and now it reeks of a government psyop”. He argued that what began as a wide-ranging protest on issues like housing, digital ID, and net zero policy had been overtaken by “people with extremist ties, including the National Socialist Network”. According to Mamalis, this plays directly into the hands of those seeking “more censorship, more control, and more laws” and he urged supporters to focus instead on a planned mid-September protest by the organisers of the earlier Freedom Rallies.
Rukshan Fernando, a Melbourne-based independent journalist known for his live-streamed coverage of protests, used a new video to take aim at the National Socialist Network and figures like Thomas Sewell. He noted that the organisers had again distanced themselves from the white nationalist movement, before asking: “Why would you want to associate the sentiments of Australians with Nazism?… These idiots will celebrate Hitler’s birthday… In the real world no one wants anything to do with that nonsense, and that actually freaks people out.” He warned that extremist optics could undermine broader national issues like calls to reduce mass immigration: “Even just the act of showing up and marching for the country is impacted by these kind of idiots that want to make everything about this.”
The underlying question is whether the rally can maintain a peaceful, focused message that appeals beyond its most ardent supporters. Organisers have already issued multiple statements rejecting extremist associations and insisting the event is about “uniting Australians around a common cause—ending mass immigration”. But with the clock ticking, the voices around the march are growing louder and more diverse—from parliamentarians and activists to drivers, small business owners, and migrant Australians.
The final weeks before 31 August will be decisive. The rally’s public perception now hinges on whether it can follow through on its promise of unity and discipline, or whether the warnings about infiltration and misrepresentation will prove prescient.
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