Groundswell NZ plans more protest action against Government regulations

Monday, 16 August 2021

Farmers, ute owners, contractors drove their vehicles through New Plymouth and down Devon St in protest against Government regulations in July, as part of a nationwide groundswell protest.

Groundswell NZ plans to hold another major nationwide protest but it is remaining silent on what it will be, other than to say it will be ‘’significant in New Zealand’s history” and happen in November.

The farming action group says it is pushing on with protest action despite it receiving no response from Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern or any other government ministers after it organised the ‘Howl of a Protest’ in July that united 57 towns nationally.

Co-founder Bryce McKenzie said: “We are very disappointed in that, given the message New Zealanders sent in the protests last month.’’

Groundswell representatives were in Wellington on Monday, meeting with representatives from Beef&Lamb NZ, Federated Farmers, Dairy NZ and Horticulture NZ.

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“We’re here to try and discuss how we can unite together on the same issues,’’ McKenzie said.

McKenzie would not reveal any details about the November protest other than to say “all I can tell you is that if it all goes to plan it will be massive”.

Groundswell NZ's campaign is primarily concerned about what it calls ‘’unworkable regulations’’ including Freshwater, Indigenous Biodiversity and Climate Change.

In response to questions from Stuff about the announcement of further protests, Ardern said “I’ll keep working alongside our rural communities to find solutions to the long term challenges of climate change, water quality and environmental protection.”

Farmers with their families, tractors, utes and dogs at the Groundswell NZ protest in Gore

“I want to see our rural communities supported and doing well. Consumers are increasingly looking at environmental performance in their purchasing decisions and will take their dollars elsewhere if we don’t stack up - we can’t stand still on these issues.

“Our plans to address climate change and clean up our waterways are in large part about ensuring our agriculture sector continues to succeed in a market that is demanding higher environmental standards. We risk losing profitability if we get left behind.

“I’ll keep talking with rural communities and farming leaders to find the best way though the changes that lay ahead of us,” Ardern said.

Groundswell NZ has also written to all councils calling for a halt to all Resource Management Act planning processes, because of the significant negative impact zoning of significant naturally areas, wetlands and landscapes are having on people and their property values.

Groundswell NZ founders Bryce McKenzie and Laurie Paterson have announced more protest action against national regulations that impact farmers.

The group is also calling for all landowners to decline access for councils or their agents wanting to undertake mapping or information gathering on private land.

On Monday, Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor said he welcomed good robust discussion, and it is simply not true to say that the Government doesn’t care for farmers, or that it doesn’t listen to farmers.

Groundswell organiser Bryce McKenzie at the protest at Gore A&P Show grounds in July.

He acknowledged there were legitimate concerns about pressures that farmers were experiencing, particularly with regard to staff shortages.

“The reality is that we do listen to farmers. Partnership is fundamental in our approach to tackling issues and there’s a clear track record of collaboration,’’ he said.

There were many farmers doing excellent work out there to be sustainable, ethical, and add value to New Zealand’s reputation as an exporter of quality food and fibre, O’Connor said.

He listed changes to some rules to the proposed Freshwater regulations, getting workable measures in place to manage the risks of poor intensive winter grazing practices, and the fact the Government is working with Vanuatu, Samoa, Tonga and HortNZ to introduce one-way quarantine free travel for RSE staff to harvest crops in the coming season, as changes the Government had made to address issues farmers had raised.

Climate Change Minister James Shaw and Environment Minister David Parker were all contacted for comment about Groundswell’s new planned protest action, but have yet to respond.

Environment Southland chairman Nicol Horrell said the regional council shared Groundswell NZ’s concerns about the speed and the number of changes that were being thrown at people by the Government, which was causing ‘'a fair bit of stress out there”.

Ahead of Groundswell’s new major protest action for November, it will start with an event on Friday, called ‘’Can You Hear Us’’.

The group is calling for two minutes of support at 12.30pm “by every car, bike, truck, train - anything with a horn, tooting in support” of its campaign. This will be repeated every Friday for the next three weeks.

“It’s a busy time on the farm with calving and lambing, so it’s a really simple way to show they’re not backing down. They don’t have to make a special trip anywhere or anything like that,’’ McKenzie said.

McKenzie said there was widespread concern among both rural and urban people, councils, and the business sector about the direction the Government was taking the country and the “tsunami of unworkable regulations being rammed through”.

'We are not against the need for regulation or the need to care for the environment, nor are we calling for a halt to addressing environmental issues. We are saying there are much better, proven solutions to addressing environmental issues than the one size fits all approach being legislated by the Government.”