Groundswell's Mother Of All Protests will go ahead despite Covid-19 restrictions

Tuesday, 26 October 2021

Tractors involved in Groundswell’s ‘Howl of a Protest’ drove past the Cathedral Square in central Christchurch in July. The protest has gridlocked traffic in parts of the city.

Groundswell NZ’s ‘Mother of all Protests’ will go ahead next month even if there are still Covid-19 restrictions in some parts of the country.

Groundswell NZ leader Bryce McKenzie said after the Covid-19 announcement from Jacinda Ardern on Friday, the group met online and decided to go ahead with the nationwide protest against some Government regulations, which the group says are unworkable for farmers.

“We’re going ahead. We’ve had an overwhelming response from our co-ordinators up and down the country. All we ask is that people stick to the rules, and stick to their own vehicles.’’

“If everyone does what they’re meant to do, there should be no problems,’’ he said.

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Bryce McKenzie, left, and Laurie Paterson are the men behind the Groundswell NZ organisation, which is pushing back against government rules affecting farmers.

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

The group wants freshwater improvement to be managed by catchment groups, and rules about significant natural areas and the ‘ute tax’ to be re-written or abolished.

It would continue to monitor the Covid-19 situation and would review whether the protest would still go ahead in areas with level 3 restrictions closer to the time.

“Our co-ordinators living in those areas at the moment, in Auckland and Waikato, were very keen for it to go ahead, they've had a gutsful up there,’’ McKenzie said.

The ‘Mother Of All Protests’ will be held at 1pm on Sunday, November 21.

The plan is for supporters to drive their utes, tractors, trucks or cars to their nearest town centre, where the group’s statement will be played over the Newstalk ZB frequency.

“It’s really important that people stick to their own vehicles and keep to their own bubbles,’’ McKenzie said.

Those taking part will turn up the volume of the radio, turn off their engines, open the windows and stand together – although socially distanced – in protest, he said.

The plan wasn’t to gridlock New Zealand, although in some places it would probably be inevitable.

The protest follows the ‘Howl of a Protest’ in July, when an estimated 60,000 people turned out to protest against Government regulations.

West Otago farmers McKenzie and Laurie Paterson founded Groundswell NZ last year.