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Thousands marched in Melbourne on Australia Day, voicing concerns over new hate speech laws, mass immigration, and freedom of speech, while proudly showing their support for national pride and traditions.

As several thousand rally goers marched through Melbourne in a show of national pride on Australia Day, one common theme was clear – we are fast losing our freedoms and way of life.

At the top of the list of concerns during the March For Australia rally was the new Albanese Government hate speech laws rushed through federal parliament in January.

The law has been promoted by bureaucrats as one that will strengthen protections against vilification and serious threats based on race, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity and disability.

But a strong sentiment among those who marched from Flinders St to Victorian Parliament House on January 26 was that this law could now see them imprisoned for simply speaking their minds because of their conservative beliefs.

Concerns Over Hate Speech Laws and Free Speech

Meanwhile, rally goers expressed that those who hate Australia and wish to do harm to Australian citizens – such as the radical Islamic terrorists who shot and murdered 15 innocent people at a Hanukkah celebration at Bondi Beach on December 14 – can continue to preach their vile opinions.

One Nation Victoria State Secretary, Bianca Colecchia, addresses the crowd at Victorian Parliament House on Australia Day. Picture: Josh Spasaro.

One Nation Victoria State Secretary, Bianca Colecchia, believes Australia is fast mirroring what the United Kingdom has become.

“It’s really worrying. I wish people could see what’s happening in Europe and especially the UK, and use it as a window to the future to see what’s coming here,” she told The Daily Declaration.

In the UK, net migration reached a record 906,000 in June 2023, and in 2024 it stood at 728,000.

And for the 2024-2025 year ending March 2025, there were 115,990 hate crimes recorded by police in England and Wales, with British taxpayers voicing their frustrations at unsustainable immigration numbers and a clash of cultures.

“With regards to freedom of speech, it’s terrifying in the UK. We should take that as an example of what’s coming here,” Colecchia added.

March For Australia: Patriots Take to the Streets

Noble Park resident Mark Rose attended the rally with the Union Jack and Southern Cross displayed prominently on his shirt.

With racial tensions high at the nearby Invasion Day rally, he knew he was risking his safety in showing his national pride.

But he did it anyway to show his love for Australia.

“I had my family ringing me today asking, ‘Are you going?’ And they were like ‘please be careful’ because they were worried there was going to be a bombing or a terrorist attack,” he said.

“I was filmed by a guy in a yellow shirt while I was sitting waiting for the train.”

Rose’s mate, Stephen Williams, wanted to dispel the notion from Invasion Day rally-goers that the Australian flag emotionally triggered some people due to the country’s colonial past.

“It’s the flag we stand under, and it’s viewed as offensive or racist. It’s not,” he said.

Harrison McLean – a past vocal opponent of former Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews and his hardline Covid lockdown measures – also attended the March For Australia in Melbourne.

McLean organises separate events through his group, Melbourne Freedom Rally.

He believes the new hate speech laws have instantly led to a fraying of the national psyche because people are now scared to make their views public regarding mass immigration.

“It’s absolutely mission-critical at the moment. We’ve just had a bill passed that creates criminal penalties for government-designated hate speech,” he said.

“There are a lot of infringements on freedom of speech at the moment. There was the under-16 social media ban.

“Even the Liberal Party is now voting for these sorts of things.

“It’s a tragedy they would use such an event (Bondi terrorist attacks) as a political cudgel to push through laws like this, and to attack everyday Australians for their political values on the basis of a small group of Islamic terrorists.

“Going after all Australians’ freedoms on the basis of that is ridiculous.”

Immigration, Crime, and Cultural Tensions

In 2025, Australia experienced record-breaking immigration numbers, with a total of 468,390 new permanent and long-term arrivals.

A key theme of the March For Australia rally was that these numbers are unsustainable, particularly with Melbourne experiencing an 18.3 per cent increase in overall criminal incidents last year.

As a result, McLean believes Australia is fast losing its long-sought-after egalitarian culture, particularly with so many now being offended by January 26 celebrations.

“I worry there are a lot of people who are too scared to speak out about this issue because it’s become so divisive,” he said.

“It’s a very bright red line down the middle of a lot of families and friends on whether they support this day or they don’t.

“It’s a lot more emotional than many other issues of this calibre. A lot of people I’m friends with don’t support this day. Most of the people I’m friends with support this day.

“Both groups of people are very hard with their views.”

Patriotism Amid Controversy: Australia Day Divides and Unites

A silver lining for patriotic Australians, according to McLean, has come via an Institute of Public Affairs poll, which found 76 per cent of respondents support the January 26 public holiday and do not want to see it moved.

“It’s overwhelmingly popular. It’s just difficult because a lot of people feel concerned they can’t say these things out of fear of reprisal,” he said.

“And that fear of reprisal is very real for some people who are in sensitive jobs with sensitive family members, where they can’t necessarily say what they think about Australia openly.

“This event is to show everyone who is concerned and scared to speak up that it’s OK to speak.”

This apparent rise in patriotic sentiment has come despite Labor politicians displaying a lack of pride in Australia Day celebrations on their social media pages.

Former Minister for Home Affairs and current Minister for Housing, Homelessness and Cities, Clare O’Neil, posted the following on Facebook on Australia Day eve:

“Wishing all Australians of Indian heritage celebrating tomorrow a very happy India Republic Day!”

There was no similar post regarding Australia Day.

On Australia Day eve, New South Wales Premier Chris Minns also posted an image celebrating India Republic Day, but nothing regarding our national day.

He did subsequently post “Happy Australia Day!!!” with an Australian flag on January 26.

Colecchia took exception to federal and state Labor politicians appearing to be reserved in publicly professing their pride for our national day.

“I think it was absolutely disgraceful. I’ve got nothing against minorities,” she said.

“But as elected members or representatives of the Australian people, I don’t think we should be publicly celebrating any specific minority.

“We’re here for Australia. They should be getting behind Australia Day. Personally, I don’t celebrate any minorities.

“Even my own Italian background.”

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Featured image: A crowd of several thousand rally goers assembled at Victorian Parliament House to collectively voice their disapproval at the new hate speech laws, which they feel threaten their freedom of speech, on Australia Day. Picture: Josh Spasaro.