Groundswell ramps up ‘Quit Paris’ campaign across New Zealand
Groundswell is ramping up its 'Quit Paris' campaign with signs going up all over the country.
Groundswell NZ organisers say a lack of response from the Government has led it to plan another major nationwide protest event later in the year.
It says while a date in November is yet to be set, the expectation is the next protest action will be of a "scale and impact that will be significant in New Zealand's history".
Spokesman Bryce McKenzie says there is widespread concern among both rural and urban people, councils and the business sector about the direction the Government is taking our country and the tsunami of unworkable regulations being rammed through.
McKenzie says in the lead up to November's nationwide protest, several actions will be undertaken.
The first is for the next three Fridays at 12.30pm, under the banner "CAN YOU HEAR US", Groundswell is calling for 2 minutes of support by every car, bike, truck, train - anything with a horn - tooting in support of its campaign.
The group is also writing to all councils around NZ calling for a halt to all RMA planning processes. In tandem with writing to councils, Groundswell NZ is calling for all landowners to decline access for councils or their agents wanting to undertake mapping or information gathering on private land.
"We are not against the need for regulation or the need to care for the environment," McKenzie says. "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."
He adds that the group has recently added the Three Waters reform and the Water Services Bill to its growing list of unworkable regulations.
New Zealand Winegrowers chief executive Philip Gregan has announced his plans to retire in June 2026, marking 43 years of service to the New Zealand wine industry.
It's 100 years for the Hoban family’s Parham Hill Corriedale stud and times continue to change.
Farmers want the Government to scrap controversial freshwater rules that "put river spirits and ideology ahead of practical water use", says Federated Farmers board member Mark Hooper.
With the Alliance board starting a series of roadshows next week to sell the Dawn Meats deal to shareholders, a group of farmers is working on a counter proposal.
Public backlash has forced the Ministry of Education (MoE) and Education Minister Erica Stanford to do a U-turn on a proposal to axe agriculture and horticulture science as standalone subjects in the secondary school curriculum.
China looks set to play a key role in helping the New Zealand wool sector shift away from trading as a commodity supplier.
OPINION: For years, the ironically named Dr Mike Joy has used his position at Victoria University to wage an activist-style…
OPINION: A mate of yours truly has had an absolute gutsful of the activist group SAFE.