National leader Christopher Luxon says the protest at Parliament is “symptomatic of immense frustration” in New Zealand.
He explained to Breakfast many New Zealanders felt they had done the right thing by getting vaccinated against Covid-19 but were struggling with a lack of clarity of what comes next.
“I think the real thing is we’ve just got to lay out a much better plan of where we’re going and how we’re dealing with this next phase.
“I really think the Government did a good job in 2020, giving really good, clear communication, but it’s been a shambles from 2021 and into this year.
READ MORE: Vehicles could be towed as Parliament protest enters ninth day
“I think we just need to lay up really clearly how we manage this next phase.”
Luxon described the protest, which is into its ninth day, as “quite interesting”.
It seems to have begun as a stand against vaccine mandates but now includes disparate groups — people have also been protesting the Bill of Rights, censorship, Three Waters and 1080.
Wednesday and Thursday last week saw some protesters clash with police and hurl abuse at passersby, members of the media and MPs.
More than 100 people were arrested last week.
However, into, over and since the weekend, music and Parliamentary debate played over loudspeakers by Speaker Trevor Mallard has failed to deter protesters from their makeshift camp.
“There’s a real wide variety of groups and there’s also a wide variety of interest. There’s some really good people in there, but there’s a real range of people and views in there as well. So that’s something we’re all wresting with at the moment,” Luxon acknowledged.
He said white supremacists, Māori separatists, those who were anti-authority and anti-mandates and "everybody in between" were at the makeshift camp.
National’s leader said he hopes protesters' vehicles can be moved and roads around Parliament unblocked.
“In many ways they’re protesting around freedoms in theory but they’re actually impinging on lots of other people’s freedoms and that’s been the challenging part of this protest from day one.
“We respect people’s right to protest, but you’ve got to be able to do it peacefully and you’ve got to be able to do it within the rule of law. That’s what’s made it challenging in terms of being able to engage with this group.”
The Police Commissioner said they're waiting on Government sign off for NZDF help. (Source: Breakfast)
Luxon said protesters having “no single points of accountability in terms of leadership” had also made matters difficult.
It had also not been helpful Mallard has been “mucking around” and been “counterproductive” with his sprinkler and loudspeaker tactics, Luxon said.
He essentially told Breakfast he would not speak with the protesters or hear their concerns, saying “it’s really a matter for the police” and “we have to leave it to the police to work their way through it”.
On the topic of vaccine mandates, Luxon said Omicron overseas had shown the case and relevancy for them “ultimately goes away”.
He said before Omicron in New Zealand reaches its peak, the Government needs to decide what the “triggers and criteria” are to remove them.
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