“All 10 ACT MPs will be out in support of rural New Zealand at Groundswell events around the country this weekend,” says ACT’s Primary Industries spokesperson and Ruawai Dairy Farmer Mark Cameron.

“We were hopeful after the last Groundswell protest that the Government might finally start listening. But Jacinda Ardern and Damien O’Connor have refused to meet with the organisers of Groundswell to even listen to their concerns.

“Rural New Zealand has become a punching bag for the Government. They’ve taken blow after blow as a raft of new regulations shows just what this Government really thinks about the primary sector.

“Whether it’s freshwater and winter grazing, a ban on live exports, Significant Natural Areas, indigenous biodiversity or a tax on utes, rural New Zealand has taken a hammering.

“ACT is listening to rural New Zealand. That's why all 10 ACT MPs will be at these protests around the country showing our support.

“ACT has had more than 40,000 signatures on our petition to Dump Three Waters, more than 25,000 signatures to Stop Labour’s Car Tax and thousands have signed up to Stop the SNA land grab.

“My Member’s Bill would have ensured the baton of environmental regulations was given to regional councils and taken out of the hands of Wellington bureaucrats – but Labour voted it down.

“ACT is the loudest voice in Parliament when it comes to standing up for the rights of rural New Zealand. As a dairy farmer myself, I know that farmers are the best environmentalists around. We kept the economy going through COVID. It’s time the Government gave us a break.”

ACT MPs locations from North to South: 
Mark Cameron – Dargaville 
Brooke van Velden and Damien Smith – Auckland 
James McDowall – Tauranga 
Simon Court – Hastings 
Chris Baillie – Nelson 
David Seymour, Karen Chhour and Toni Severin – Rangiora 
Nicole McKee – Go

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