"I’m proud to be here, some will be critical of me being here and they’re entitled to have their view," the Premier said. "But I was here before the [state] election and I’m here afterwards." The Premier, who is expected to take a leading role in Victoria in Labor's push for power at May's federal election, stepped up his attacks on the Morrison government and his calls for a Bill Shorten victory. "They’ve had their chance, it’s been a six long years and they have achieved nothing, nothing good anyway," he said of the Coalition. But his views about the rally were at odds with his comments about Monday's protest by vegans who blocked the intersection of Swanston and Flinders streets, causing peak-hour chaos.

"I don't think they've advanced their cause with too many Victorians," Mr Andrews said of the vegans. Hundreds of thousands of people gathered in the city for the rally. Credit:Justin McManus Trades Hall secretary Luke Hilakari thanked the Premier for attending the march and urged people not to vote for Mr Morrison. "It isn’t fair that corporate profits are going up and out wages are going down. It’s not fair that 40 per cent of workers are in insecure work. It’s not fair that 700,000 Australians had penalty rates cut," he said.

"This is why we’re marching. We want Scott Morrison to face up to the people." Federal Labor MPs Andrew Giles, Ged Kearney and Kate Thwaites, and Greens politicians Adam Bandt, Janet Rice and Adam Pulford also marched. Union members, accompanied by their children and pets and donning hard hats, beanies, baseball caps and bandanas, marched through the city centre and reached State Parliament just before midday. Loading Replay Replay video Play video Play video A casual worker at Chemist Warehouse in Summerton told the crowd at the end of the march she was fighting for better pay deals.

"As some of you might know, workers have been on strike for 16 days around the clock. Our strike resulted into 41 people ending up with full time jobs, a 18.75 per cent pay increase, paid union delegate time and training," the woman, who identified herself only as Rebecca, said. "If inflation continues to rise so should our wages." Waitresses Amy, 36, and Virginia, 42, said they were marching with others from the Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees Association for penalty rates. “We work hard and we deserve them," Virginia said. Waitresses Amy, 36, and Virginia, 42, outside Trades Hall before the Change the Rules rally in Melbourne's CBD. Credit:Susan Telai

Dean, a stock replenisher at Woolworths, said he too wanted a better wage. "I’ve worked with the company for 30 years. The price of living is going up and I’m fighting for a decent wage," he said. “I’m happy that there’s lots of different smaller unions fighting for one cause. I’m from Bendigo so I’m glad that people made the trip to Melbourne to fight for the cause.” Rachel and Frank were both marching on Wednesday morning. Credit:Zach Hope Another woman, who only wanted to be known as Rachel, said she wanted to defend her right to protest following another rally by animal rights activists on Monday.

"I wasn’t at the protests the other day but there has been a huge backlash against veganism in the media. I just want to show support to unions and for the right to protest," she said. After Monday’s vegan protest wreaked havoc in the central city, commuters again had to make alternative transport arrangements in the city. The union rally affected tram services in the CBD, including routes 3, 5, 15 and 67 – which were bringing commuters into the city from the south-eastern suburbs already suffering train line cancellations. Route 86 and 96 trams also had to be diverted during the rally.



with Zach Hope