Co-founder optimistic post-election

Groundswell are hoping the National Party will stick to its word and get rid of some of the rules and regulations the Labour Government has imposed on farmers.

Groundswell co-founder Bryce McKenzie, who watched the election results unfold last Saturday night, said he was ‘’really pleased’’ with the outcome.

‘’We always said farmers couldn’t take another three years of the Labour Government.

‘’Although we don’t 100% know what the new Government will look like, we know there will be change and that’s what we need.’’

McKenzie said he was in favour of a National-Act coalition, but whether that includes New Zealand First remains to be seen once the Special Votes have been counted.

However, McKenzie believed NZ First leader Winston Peters would be a loyal coalition partner.

‘’I’ve got no reason to doubt it.’’ McKenzie and fellow Groundswell co-founder Laurie Paterson have received plenty of positive comments from supporters on their Facebook page following the election.

The pair have spent several years fighting for fairness for farmers who kept the country going during the Covid-19 pandemic.

‘’I don’t know how much we helped, but I think we highlighted our plight to the city people.’’

In the Facebook comments Groundswell was thanked for its determination and never give up attitude and many people said they had made a difference.

Others said National had six years of mess to clean up.

Well known farmer and author Doug Avery said the Government needed to focus on the big challenges ahead without the tyranny.

McKenzie and Paterson recently embarked on a 10-day tractor rally from Invercargill to Bluff.

‘’It was important to take our message to the cities.

‘’We reached a lot of people who didn’t realise it was so bad in the country – I had one lady say to me that I had inspired her to change her vote.’’

McKenzie said the rally was never about telling people which way to vote, but encouraging everyone to get out and make their vote count.

Before the election National had promised it would scrap the ute tax by the end of the year and Groundswell was hoping it would also get rid of some of the other rules and regulations the Government had imposed on farmers

‘’National also said they would get rid of Three Waters if they got in.

‘’They also need to look at the national policy on freshwater and change the slope map.’’

Minister of Agriculture Damien O’Connor lost the West Coast-Tasman electorate to National’s Maureen Pugh.

O’Connor received 10,722 votes compared to Pugh’s 11,637 votes.

While many have viewed Labour leader Chris Hipkins as the ‘’sacrificial lamb’’ in the election process, McKenzie did not feel sorry for him.

‘’He was involved with everything that has happened (to farmers) and he could have spoken out.’’

Groundswell co-founder Bryce McKenzie said the election result was pleasing.