A WARRACKNABEAL man who inspired more than 150,000 people to march on the steps of Parliament House in Melbourne is back, with bigger ambitions.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
After a 21-year hiatus, Danny Johnson has written another letter to the Mail-Times.
He hopes, like the previous one, his letter will spark a huge political movement.
His original letter to the Mail-Times voiced his frustrations with the State Government, led by Premier John Cain and then Joan Kirner who took the position in August 1990.
On January 4, 1991 - three weeks after the letter was published - he led the biggest protest in the country since the Vietnam peace marches.
Mr Johnson said the protest's main arguments were for increased employment, reduced government debt and less union control.
"The State Government at the time was a complete and utter mess," he said.
"I recently read 'the pen is mightier than the sword' and it's true."
His new letter articulates a number of populist arguments, while attacking the Federal Government's carbon tax and problems with factionalism.
Mr Johnson said he believed the letter would gain enough media attention to topple the government.
"In a couple of weeks when I think the time is right I'm going to name a date," he said.
"On that date I will encourage people to write letters to Julia Gillard calling for 'no carbon tax'.
"I'm not talking about hundreds of letters or even thousands.
"I think she is going to receive more than a million."
He said the carbon tax was a policy made to please minority groups.
"I don't believe climate change science is conclusive, so having a carbon tax in this current economic climate is ludicrous," he said.
"The tax will put a lot of businesses on the brink."
He said he would not spend a cent on advertisements to promote his cause.
"I think the media will run with this," he said.
Mr Johnson said he had observed a general feeling of unrest among Australians lately.
"People still do all the mundane things like go to barbecues and send their kids to school, but they are all battling to keep their heads above water," he said.
"When the Prime Minister is flooded by letters she is going to have to act and change the way this country is governed."
He said he would not feel embarrassed if his plan flopped.
"I will have had a go and made my feelings known," he said.
"I'm not left-wing or right-wing.
"I'm just a bloke who cares about his country."
