Groundswell’s protest against Three Waters at the LGNZ annual conference in Palmerston North didn’t make news headlines last week.
Mandeville-based representative Logan Evans flew to the North Island to front the protest, and was joined by Voices For Freedom members, waiting for Local Government New Zealand members to come outside and talk to them.
Logan said about 200 people turned up, from a few different groups, and they managed to talk to some Mayors who were walking in, about their views.
He was expecting at least 2000 people and 50 to 60 tractors, but despite it being one year to the day since the Howl of a Protest, where thousands of Kiwis from all walks of life supported Groundswell NZ nationwide, this protest was very low key.
“To be fair a few mayors came in the back, and they were supportive of us.”
Logan believed Groundswell didn’t give farmers enough time and it wasn’t communicated strongly enough across its social media channels.
The protest co-incides today with the announcement by three southern mayors Tracey Hicks, Tim and Bryan Cadogan who were refusing to reject the Three Waters reforms.
They felt the best stance was to represent their communities by being at the table and communicating their concerns, rather than yelling from the outside.
When asked whether Voices for Freedom hijacked the protest with its own agenda, Logan said many of their members attended with ‘We Support Farmers’ placards.
“If we are going to make any change in New Zealand, all these groups need to put all of their differences aside. When we are divided we are weak. The government is out of control,” he said.
He believed it didn’t matter what hat you wore, “when we stand, we stand strong.”
Groundswell NZ said that surveys show farmer confidence is at the lowest since the start of the pandemic, and believe the Government’s “assault” on farmers came as input costs were soaring.
“We have seen successes, even with this Government, such as the reversal of some of the most unworkable winter grazing regulations. That’s why, with your support, we’re keeping up the pressure on the Government to listen to and work with the agriculture sector.”
Groundswell NZ said it will continue to stand up against unworkable regulations and fight to restore New Zealand’s pride in farming.