A farmer is arguing that recent widespread flooding in the upper South Island and lower North Island shows why New Zealand will still need utes in years to come.
Residents of Marlborough, Tasman, and Buller are facing the aftermath of damaging floods that devastated their homes and forced the closure of several major roads around the regions. The severe weather also hit the Wellington region and strong rain battered the area.
The weather meant some cars became stuck and needed towing out of precarious situations.
A video uploaded to a Facebook group shows a little red car with water up to the windows and a ute pulling it out of flooding in Lower Hutt.
"Is this a legitimate use of a ute?" the caption says. "By the time the rescue happened the water was up to the door windows. The driver and passenger are both safe and uninjured. Jacinda Ardern we still need our utes even in suburbia."
On Friday, farmers took their tractors to the streets of more than 50 towns and cities across the country to voice their outrage over a "barrage of regulations" they say "aren't fit for purpose". They wanted to send a message to the Government that rural communities aren't happy with rules over freshwater, significant natural areas, indigenous biodiversity, and the so-called 'ute tax'.
The latter concerns the Government's recently announced clean car package, where discounts of up to $8000 will be given for newly imported electric and hybrid vehicles, while high-emissions vehicles will attract fees of up to $5000.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern revealed last month the Government considered exempting utes from financial penalties in the scheme but ended up ruling it out, despite there being no alternative clean options on the horizon for years.
"We gave them really strong consideration and we're very genuine in that because we recognise that there wasn't an alternative in the market right now," Ardern told reporters at the time.
"We did discuss that because we recognised that there is a lag in the technology right now. But after discussing it, debating it and working it through, it was going to be very difficult to operationalise.
"A large number of those buyers of those vehicles are not using them for the legitimate use as those who work in the primary sector and the trades."
Groundswell NZ, which organised Friday's protest, says farmers are already doing their part to protect the environment and several rules imposed by the Government in recent months are not only impractical but also won't make a difference in improving the situation.
Organiser Bryce McKenzie says the ever-increasing number of rules is leading to stress and anxiety for rural communities.
"We've had enough of just a constant barrage of regulations, and these regulations aren't fit for purpose," he told The AM Show on Friday.
He says the latest move by the Government to impose a so-called 'ute tax' on high-emitting vehicles is "the straw that's broken the camel's back".
"We don't have any option, it does the heavy lifting on farms and for tradespeople," he says.
"For us, it's just a real kick in the guts just when we're down anyway, and that's really what's finished people off - they've just had enough."
Minister for the Environment David Parker told The AM Show on Friday he respected the right of farmers to voice their concerns but said he wouldn't attend their protest.
"I think everyone has a right to express their opinion. It is a country of free speech. I do note that farmers are doing very well, export prices are high, interest rates are low, profits are high."
Parker defended the need for the regulations and said the Government had worked with farmers to change several details concerning some of the more unpopular freshwater rules, such as those around intensive winter grazing.
"There is a generation for these changes to take place over and the rules are actually set by regional councils. Are we going to back away from our commitment to have rivers that are swimmable? No."
