Farmers en masse say 'enough is enough' at Nelson protest

Friday, 16 July 2021

The “Howl of a Protest” convoy of 500 tractors and utility vehicles that drove from Richmond to Nelson. The protest was organised by Groundswell NZ (first published July 2021)

Farmers know how to work their land and don’t need “someone in Wellington” telling them how to do, says a farming family in Tasman.

The farming family were among the hundreds who gathered at Richmond on Friday for the start of the Nelson “Howl of a Protest” event – one of about 50 across New Zealand.

The nationwide protest was organised by Groundswell NZ to provide an opportunity for people to stand up against a slew of what have been described as “unworkable regulations”.

“I don't like the way it's going with all the changes,” the Tasman farmer said referring to a raft of regulations relating to matters such as water, biodiversity, climate change, the workforce and the “ute tax”.

* What are Aotearoa's farmers actually protesting about this Friday?

* 'Howl of a protest' gaining momentum in Nelson

The Tasman farming family was also concerned about rights being taken away from local councils across the country when each area was so different.

“It can't just be one size fits all,” they said. “We're all for helping the environment, but it's got to be doable. It's not doable at the moment; it's too much in one go.”

Wakefield farmer Colin Gibbs and his dog Spruce during the “bark-off”, when attendees’ dogs got to have their say at the Howl of a Protest event.

They said they knew people who had sold their farms to “corporates” because it had become so difficult and the money they were offered was good.

The Nelson protest was organised by Andrina Cimino and Julie Edwards. The event involved a “bark-off”, where the attendees’ dogs had their say, and a convoy of an estimated 500 vehicles – mainly tractors and utes – that travelled from the A&P show grounds through central Richmond and Stoke into central Nelson.

Before the bark-off, Edwards told the crowd while the initial focus of Groundswell was the freshwater regulations, it then turned to the issue of significant natural areas (SNA) for which the anticipated National Policy Statement for Indigenous Biodiversity had been delayed.

Nelson event organises Andrina Cimino, left, and Julie Edwards speak to protesters in Richmond before a convoy headed into Nelson.

“Our first major action was to call on all landowners not to allow any more SNA-type surveys,” Edwards said. “A letter was sent to all councils, requesting that they halt any current SNA mapping. Many councils have halted their SNA process so woohoo!”

Tasman District Council last week agreed to hit pause on a district-wide SNA mapping project.

Edwards said Groundswell NZ’s main concerns were “unworkable environmental policies –freshwater, indigenous biodiversity, SNAs and climate change”.

However, over the past six months, the organisation had become aware of “many other issues” and costs that would affect not only farmers but businesses, urban people and councils.

Protesters gather outside the Telegraph Hotel in Tākaka.

“Everyone is feeling overwhelmed with all the avalanche of poorly designed policy and we-know-best-one-size-fits-all mindset of the current Government,” Edwards said.

Tractors lead the convoy along Queen St in Richmond as the protesters head into central Nelson.

However, Forest & Bird top of the south regional manager Debs Martin urged farmers and the Government to “stay in there for the conversations” around the changes, which were designed to look after nature and rural communities.

“Just sit tight and have these conversations and let's keep going,” Martin said. “We have to work through this.”

A lot of groundwork had been done around the regulations, some of which had been in place for 30 years, and it would be a tragedy if that good work and goodwill was lost, she said.

The convoy travels through central Nelson.

“Don’t throw out the baby with the bathwater.”

Forest & Bird had been lobbying hard to get funding to support “the good work a lot of landowners are already doing”, such as fencing waterways and wetlands.

Martin said some farmers had contacted her to say they would not be at the protest because their experiences around the processes had been positive.

“For the people who are doing good stuff, it's not going to change what they're doing,” she said. “Regulations help bring up the bottom line; for the majority it's around supporting the work they're already doing.”

Martin acknowledged it was a time of uncertainty for many rural landowners particularly in Tasman District where they also faced new draft maps outlining areas identified as outstanding natural feature and landscape as well as the coastal environment. However, the associated draft rules for those areas had not yet been created.

“It seems to be that perfect-storm moment,” Martin said. “But these overlays are about protecting those things you value, it doesn't change existing use.”

Many people waved or tooted their support for the farmers along the convoy route.

In central Nelson, Grant, who declined to give his last name, was one of a few dozen supporters.

Grant said he believed “there's over-regulation, too many rules”.

The Government was not consulting and was instead pushing through new laws and regulations, he said.

“They actually should be working for us, not the other way around,” Grant said. “They've forgotten what they're here for. We need more heart, less overthinking.”

Extinction Rebellion Whakatū put out a statement, saying it did not support the protest.

“If the 'ute tax' affects you, then you are privileged enough to afford a new one,” the statement says. “Maintaining privilege holds no justification for protest. If environmental legislation is affecting you it is only because current practices have to change.”

‘Howl of a protest’ furthers business as usual, “pushing us further away from any tangible future where we are able to sustain ourselves as a species on this planet”.

Responsibility for change should not be put on the individual.

“Government needs to show real leadership, leading farmers through the transition to a holistic, regenerative plant-based food system that heals the whenua rather than destroying it,” Extinction Rebellion says in the statement. “These protests are a betrayal to generations and that is how they will be remembered.”