New Zealand - LATEST: The thunder of bike engines is beginning to fill the air in Wellington as thousands of angry bikies gather at Parliament to protest against a proposed increase in ACC levies. Press reporter Helen Murdoch went along for the ride.
Adversity unites and today's ACC motorcycle protest was a damn good example.
I was among thousands of riders who stormed Parliament on all manner of machinery to protest the proposed ACC levy increases of up to $500.
Rally organizers estimated 6000-plus riders converged from all points north and south too tell the Government the levy increases were unfair, unsubstantiated and the thinly disguised edge of an impending ACC sledgehammer that will hit all New Zealanders in their pockets.
Punctuated by chants of `who's next' BRONZ ( Bikers Rights Organisation of New Zealand) president, Les Mason, told the crowd the protest was about principal, that the Government was intent on dismantling ACC's `no fault' system and calling for a common levy on all light passenger vehicles.
Labour leader, Phil Goff, earned votes when he questioned the accuracy of the number crunching being used to support the increase.
Lincoln University professor, Charley Lamb, didn't just question the figures – he tore them apart and spat out the scraps of paper.
He pointed out ACC took $4.2 billion in total levies last year and paid out $3.1 billion and was far from broke – that ACC had enough in reserves to pay the next three years claims, that average motorcycle injury payouts last year were lower than for trucks, car passengers, pedestrians and cyclists and that motorcycle leveis were already too high.
``The current increase is to simply increase ACC's asset value from $11 billion to $24 billion as it moves to a fully funded system."
ACC Minister, Nick Smith, didn't stand a chance.
By then the leather clad crowd had been standing for close to an hour in the (rare) Wellington sun and wanted to be acknowledged by those in charge.
Nick just had to peep over the Parliamentary parapet (or in this case walk down the marble steps) and the crowd roared its displeasure.
Listening turned to chanting when he said the planned increase would proceed, few heard that they may not be on the scale proposed, or that a small amount may be spent on safety training and accident prevention, or that the proposal had received a record number of submissions (2750) and 90 percent were from motorcyclists.
Few cared. We knew all along this protest would not change the current political course.
But this protest was a rally, the drawing of a line in the sand, a counting of heads.
Phil Goff said it was the biggest protest he had seen in a decade.
Les Mason promised it was only the start.
Then, with a roar of engines, the crowd dispersed, leaving only a few hand drawn protest signs discarded on the immaculate lawn and the echo of unrest. Ad Feedback
Protest bikers expected to clog roads
Wellington's turned on a beautiful day for a motorcycle protest. After three days of howling northwest winds I will ride, without the fear of being blown across the road, into the city to stand among possibly thousands of fellow riders and protest the up to $500 proposed increase in ACC's motorcycle levies. I arrived in the capital, once my hometown, on Saturday on the ferry after a wonderful traffic-free ride from Nelson. Two other bike-mounted couples were also on the boat and we sat, as riders thrown together often do, and talked of great rides, united by the common love of two-wheeled machines and the freedom they bring. The constraints of work and distance meant neither of the couples could make the protest, but their support was unreserved when we parted at the Wellington terminal. The unspoken bond of riders continued on the road north. Each passing rider waved or nodded as I rode to my sister's Paraparaumu home. This morning Wellington news bulletins are warning motorists of the mass of riders expected to clog the capital's motorways, and the roads around Parliament, from noon. But the columns of black-clad riders from points north and south hold no fear for me - they are friends-in-waiting. Together we will ride for those who can not to tell the politicians that their proposal is not fair and we do not believe the figures they use to back up their claims. United we are a voice of the people and ask to be heard.
The view as the bikes go past the corner of Bath and Oxford Streets, in Levin.
Protest ride 'no walk in the park'
I've cleaned the bike, bought the ferry tickets and am heading to Wellington for next week's ACC protest ride on Parliament.
Why am I going?
1. Because I can.
2. Because politicians need reminding that consultation is part of process, not an afterthought.
3. Because I do not believe ACC's motorcycle crash accident figures paint the true picture.
4. Because ACC was developed as a no fault system, but the increases are being apportioned on blame.
5. Because I told my sister I would visit her for her birthday then missed it and am fast running out of excuses.
6. Because it's a good reason for a ride.
I expect to be among thousands of like-minded motorcyclists at the November 17 protest and apologise in advance to the capital's car drivers for the congestion.
But it will not be a walk in the park for us clad in leather.
I know the Aprilia will overheat, snap and snarl in the slo-mo traffic and refuse to go into neutral and send my clutch hand into spasm.
If it's sunny I'll be hot and if it rains I'll be wet and either way my visor will steam up.
But it's a good cause and, for only who actively practices putting their money where their mouth is, inexcusable to miss.
BRONZ (Bikers Rights Organisation of New Zealand) has gone into overdrive organising the `Damn the Levies' protest ride route and overnighter for North Island riders.
(Southerners don't need a structured run – most of us already know where Wellington is and organising us to all be in one place at the same time is like herding cats.)
I rang Les Mason, BRONZ president, last week and he expects around 3000 motorcyclists will ride from Auckland to Wellington.
Police expect 6000, he said – which goes to show their dart board is bigger than ours.
Wellington's Westpac Stadium will set aside for parking for those on the mass North Island ride and Molesworth St, which runs past Parliament, is being set aside for parking for those who turn up out of the blue – like me.
Les said the ride is just the start of the BRONZ campaign to have ACC's separate motorcycle class abolished and bikes treated the same as light vehicles.
I'm looking forward to the trip.
My partner says he will look after the dogs, chickens, cows, horse, goats and beer fridge while I'm away (likely story).
I've got a new warrant, have ordered a new rear tyre (knowing it will not turn up in time) and incapacitated the dodgy side stand idiot cut off switch with help from a web blog, wire cutters and soldering iron.
All I need to do now is turn up in time for the ferry, remember the tie downs for the boat trip and take a belated birthday present for my sister who believes I am only heading north because there is a run on (yeah-right).
Oh, and I must register the beast – but that's another story.
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