Hot on the heels of political parties in New Zealand hitting the election trail, Groundswell has announced plans for a protest from Invercargill to Auckland.
The farming group that was founded to “stand up against unworkable regulations” said its Drive 4 Change countrywide tour in late September is “to raise awareness and mobilise voters” ahead of the October 14 general election.
“Our message is: things are bad, you need to vote, and you need to vote for change,” it says on its website.
Groundswell co-founders Bryce McKenzie and Laurie Paterson will mount their tractors in Invercargill’s Lorneville saleyards at 9am on September 22 to travel to Auckland, where they will finish with a speaking event at the Ellerslie Racecourse at 1pm on October 1.
The pair led the Howl of a Protest journey in July 2021, opposing the government’s agricultural regulations and policies, followed by another nationwide event, the Mother of All Protests, in November that year.
The group says police are aware of its plans and that “the idea is not to be disruptive … We will be considerate to traffic. We’ve always taken that attitude and we haven’t changed.
“Whether you can join the whole trek or just for a short time, we hope to see you in your tractor, ute, truck, car, pushbike or horse.”
