BENDIGO protesters are buzzing with excitement after Sunday's March in March at Lake Weeroona.
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About 250 protesters in Bendigo and as many as 700 in Castlemaine hit the streets to voice their frustrations with the Abbott government, as part of a nation-wide movement protesting a range of government polices.
Carolyn Hutchinson, a founding member of the newly-formed Single Parents Party and organiser of the Bendigo march, said she was overwhelmed by the amount of people who turned out to the event.
"Everyone's been buzzing," she said.
"There have even been suggestions of making this a monthly event, whereby we would march for a different issue each month."
Ms Hutchinson said her group was particularly concerned with the federal government's policies toward single parents.
She said the move by the Gillard government last year to put single parents on Newstart once their youngest child turned eight had had devastating consequences for many.
"Single parents are living in tents with their children," Ms Hutchinson said.
"I can manage but other people are struggling and have become homeless because of it."
Ms Hutchinson said her group wanted the government to reverse the policy and to provide greater financial support to single parents.
"Single parents have a stigma attached to them that they're lazy and don't want to work," she said.
"It's not that easy to get a job."
Member for Bendigo Lisa Chesters said she told the crowd it was important they kept making their voices heard.
She said there was a diverse range of issues that had spurred people to protest.
"There was concern about the NDIS and whether the government will support the scheme, there was concern about the treatment of asylum seekers ... there was concern about the ABC," she said.
"It was great to see so many local people saying, 'I expect my government to listen'."
The gathering started at noon and included speeches by representatives of numerous political parties and the Bendigo and District Aboriginal Co-operative.