Massive turnout in Nth Canty

• Date: 22 July 2021
• Published date: 22 July 2021

Meanwhile he is keen to establish a Groundswell movement in Canterbury with co-ordinators covering the key geographical areas.

Convoys of tractors rolled into Kaikoura, Cheviot, Culverden, Amberley and Rangiora last Friday, along with utes, vans, trucks, contracting equipment and dogs, gridlocking towns due to the sheer volume of vehicles. They stood shoulder-to-shoulder with their urban cousins, while traffic held up by the convoys tooted, drivers waved and people lining the streets yelled support. Even preschoolers and retired folk stood in support.

In Rangiora about 350 tractors and utes rolled through the central business district (CBD) causing traffic jams in High St and Ashley St and attracting groups of onlookers four and five deep in places.

About 1000 protesters, many with their farm dogs, headed to the front lawn outside the Waimakariri District Council service centre for speeches by farmer, Dave Winter, of Clarkville, and Waimakariri District Deputy Mayor Neville Atkinson.

An organiser of Rangiora’s protest, Craig McAllister, of Cust, said the size of the protest and the support the organisers had received was overwhelming.

‘‘We didn’t know what to expect, but it shows the concern everyone has. We have made a lot of changes but we keep getting bombarded with more,’’ he said.

‘‘A little recognition for what we have done would go a long way.’’

Mr Winter, when asked to MC Rangiora’s Howl of a Protest said he was sure he was ‘‘the sacrificial lamb’’ rather than ‘‘the chosen one’’, but was happy to speak at the protest.

‘‘It is our future we are trying to secure,’’ he said.

From the back of a ute Mr Winter queried why everyone, young and old, was there. ‘‘Because we have all had a gutsful,’’ he said.

He ended his speech with a statement from Groundswell NZ outlining the concerns about ‘‘the unworkable environmental policies’’ the protest was focused on and ‘‘the workable solutions’’ Groundswell NZ was keen to promote.

The protest had been organised in ‘‘a spirit of co-operation, non-confrontation and no intentional disruption,’’ he said.

‘‘We encourage people attending the Howl to support local businesses and engage with people in a positive way.’’

Mr Atkinson told the protesters he had not seen so many farmers in town on a Friday before and the council supported what they were doing.

‘‘This is your day. We are with you and we will help you where we can,’’ he said.

Earlier in the day, a smaller group of protesters met at the Rangiora A&P Showgrounds...