Clean Car protests: Kiwi ute owners to rally against government scheme

As you'd expect, not everyone was a fan of the government's Clean Car Scheme when it was announced just recently, with the main opposition coming from Kiwi ute owners.

And given that utes make up the most popular segment of new vehicles sold in New Zealand, owners are rallying together and are planning to protest the scheme. 

A group that's going by 'Groundswell NZ' is organising the proposed protest for July 16, and calling for ute and tractor owners across the country to join.

According to this group, the protest is for “farmers, growers and ute owners who are fed up with increasing Government interference in your life and business, unworkable regulations and unjustified costs”.

“This is important because there is a lot of anguish out there, there is a lot of tension and this is a way for people to get together and release some of that and show that they’re not happy,” added Groundswell spokesperson Bryce McKenzie, speaking to Stuff.

”We want farmers to gather up a few of their neighbours and go to town in their tractors or utes – some people have even told us they will even take their horses. A statement will be read from Groundswell at each centre and then there will be a bark up, or a howl up, from the dogs.

“And now the tradies are also being penalised – their utes are just as essential for them as they are for farmers. You can’t do everything on a motorbike or a four-wheeler. We’re being penalised for living in a rural area, or for having a practical work vehicle.”

The protests are set to happen in Greymouth, Gore, Kerikeri, Thames, Mosgiel, Blenheim, and Oamaru, Palmerston North, and Hastings with additional locations set to be announced. 

The proposed fees for utes won't come into effect until 2022, so utes already in the country or sold before now and the end of the year will not be affected.