AN organiser of an anti-government rally says derogatory signs levelled against the prime minister, including one saying “abort Abbott”, are the responsibility of protesters.

Melbourne’s March in March rally yesterday drew as many as 30,000 people angry with Federal Government policies on a raft of issues including indigenous rights, education, asylum seekers, climate change and the tax system.

Similar rallies were held in other cities across Australia.

Melbourne organiser Sarah Garnham, who was protesting against education cuts, said she wasn’t willing to apologise for the anti-Tony Abbott signs held up by protesters.

“Protest organisers don’t have control over signs,” Ms Garnham told 3AW radio today.

“It’s a lively way of expressing extreme anger.”

However, Ms Garnham said she thought a sign saying “ditch the witch”, aimed at former prime minister Julia Gillard during a 2011 anti-carbon tax rally, was sexist and offensive.

Yesterday’s protest brought the CBD to a standstill.

The mammoth crowd gathered at the State Library of Victoria at about midday before continuing down Swantston St and along Bourke St to reach Treasury Gardens, where a rally was held.

Protesters chanted “shame Abbott shame” and brandished signs voicing their anger against policies.

media_camera A march through Treasury Gardens to protest the Government’s policies.

Singer Missy Higgins and comedian and radio host Meshel Laurie were among those at the Melbourne event.

The rallies in capital cities followed protests in regional areas on Saturday.

The three-day event will culminate today when a statement of no confidence in Tony Abbott’s government is delivered to Parliament House.

Victoria Police spokeswoman Leading Sen-Constable Julie-Anne Newman said the march had caused “significant traffic disruption”, but there had been no other issues.

media_camera Crowds in Treasury Gardens. Picture: Hamish Blair

The purpose of the rally was to signify “the people’s vote of no confidence in policies of the government that go against common principles of humanity, decency, fairness social justice and equity, democratic governance, responsible global citizenship and conserving our natural heritage”, according to the event’s Facebook page.

Organisers said the protests were part of a peaceful grassroots movement that has no affiliation with political parties.

Canberra organiser Loz Lawrey said the idea started in January as a conversation between a handful of people on Facebook.

“They said to each other, ‘we can’t just keep complaining to each other about this government, we have to do something about it’,” Mr Lawrey said.

“As that conversation became more public, people started saying, ‘we’d like to be involved’.”

Mr Lawrey said the movement had 45,000 supporters.

Election win in Tasmania

The protests come as the Coalition enters a fortnight of federal parliament after a state election win in Tasmania and a knife-edge likely loss in South Australia.

It was widely expected Labor would lose government in Tasmania after 16 years in power.

But the outcome in SA was a surprise, given the Liberals were expected to romp home.

Labor industry spokesman Kim Carr said South Australians were concerned about the loss of car industry jobs ahead of manufacturing plant closures by Holden, Toyota and Ford.

Senator Carr wants the next state poll in Victoria, where there is also a strong car making sector, to be a referendum on federal manufacturing policy.

“We’re seeing the situation in both South Australia and in Victoria where the Coalition essentially is taking people for granted,” he said.

But Senior Liberal frontbencher Christopher Pyne said Labor was “deluding” itself if it thought the narrow result in SA was about the coalition’s industry policy.

“I think it is a sad indictment on the Labor Party,” he told ABC radio today.

The SA Liberals so far have 44.3 per cent of first preference votes, ahead of Labor with 36.7 per cent.

But Labor is leading in 23 seats in the 47-seat SA lower house while the Liberals have 22 seats.

The close result has given two independents a box seat in the creation of the new government.

Mr Abbott will spend this week talking up the Government’s plans to cut business red tape and taxes and boost trade and investment.

With two state elections out of the way, attention now turns to the WA Senate election re-run on April 5.

Labor is keen to secure two eats after winning only one in the initial 2013 poll, while the Liberals want to hold onto three of the six up for grabs.

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