Howl of a Protest campaign

The Howl of Protest campaign was organised by the farming advocacy group Groundswell NZ, which had been founded by two West Otago farmers named Bryce McKenzie and Laurie Paterson, who opposed the Labour Government's regulations on grazing, harvesting and freshwater use. In October 2020, the pair organised a tractor protest in the South Island town of Gore, which attracted 120 participants. Groundswell NZ became a national movement organised through the social media platform Facebook, with the number of followers growing from 900 in October 2020 to 14,000 by mid-July 2021. In July 2021, Groundswell NZ organised the Howl of Protest campaign to express farmers, horticulturalists and tradespersons' opposition to the Government's freshwater, winter grazing, indigenous biodiversity and proposed vehicle emissions incentive scheme. == Demonstrations ==

On 16 July, Groundswell staged protests in 57 cities and towns across New Zealand including Auckland, Christchurch, Dunedin, Mosgiel, Whangārei, Dargaville, Kerikeri, Kaitaia, Levin, Dannevirke, Te Awamutu, Amberley, Greymouth, Alexandra, Wānaka, Invercargill, Timaru, Gisborne, and Hastings. The only city that Groundswell left off the protest circuit was the capital Wellington, which organisers described as an intentional decision. Auckland , protesting to New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, likening the government's reforms to communism. On 16 July 2021, farmers engaged in peaceful protests across Auckland CBD. Tractors and particularly utes were seen driving down Queen Street in the morning and afternoon, tooting and displaying signs which showed criticism and resistance against Jacinda Ardern and proposed car tax laws. As a result, the Auckland Southern Motorway experienced congestion and delays. The Katikati protest was jointly organised by Groundswell NZ and the KKCando Concerned Ratepayers. Otago In Otago and particularly Dunedin, farmers were seen driving around the Dunedin Octagon and in the CBD. It was reported that an estimated of over 100 tractors and utes met in Mosgiel for a briefing before driving into Dunedin to begin their demonstrations. The demonstration was met with opposition when a environmentalist protester was seen standing in the middle of George Street, they eventually had their sign stripped away. Whanganui More than 500 people attended protests in and around Whanganui, with an estimate of about 150 tractors and utes circling the main city. ==Responses==

Many protesters were criticized for their off-message protest signs, including ones described as misogynistic and racist. In response, organiser Bryce McKenzie disavowed the offensive signs as not representative of farmers' views. Agricultural sector The farming advocacy group Federated Farmers's national president Andrew Hoggard attributed Groundswell's protests to farmers' frustration and anger with the central Government's new regulations and costs. Hoggard also claimed that rural communities were experiencing a "winter of discontent" and described the so-called "ute tax" as the "straw that broke the camel's back" for many farming families. Politicians The Groundswell's "Howl of a Protest" campaign received mixed responses. Minister of Agriculture Damien O'Connor stated that farmers had a right to speak their mind but warned that Groundswell's protests would create the perception that farmers were opposed to improving freshwater quality, addressing climate change, managing animal welfare, and not appreciating the Government's efforts to collaborate with the agricultural sector. National Leader, Judith Collins spent the day at a demonstration in Blenheim, giving a speech stating "I will make it really clear. The next National government will not have the ute tax and won’t go after those people." Campbell also claimed that farmers were a privileged group in New Zealand society. Broadcaster Jack Tame opined that the farmers' actions were hypocritical, citing that the farmers had received substantial Government assistance for addressing Mycoplasma bovis, irrigation subsidies, drought relief packages, flood relief and wage subsidies. Others Greenpeace Aotearoa New Zealand Executive Director and former Green Party leader Russel Norman accused the protesters of supporting the pollution of rivers and opposing the Māori language. ==Aftermath==

In mid-August 2021, Groundswell co-founders Bryce McKenzie and Laurie Paterson announced a second round of protests in November called the "Mother of All Protests" after the Government refused to address the group's grievances around the Government's freshwater, indigenous biodiversity, and climate change mitigation policies. Co-founder Laurie Paterson stated that the second planned protest campaign was in response to the Government's refusal to address their concerns about freshwater and climate change mitigation policies. These protests were held across 70 cities and towns on 21 November 2021. ==References==