The Transport Minister has stepped up his language towards the climate protesters blocking Wellington's highway, calling their actions "idiotic" and "extremely dangerous".
Labour's Michael Wood and National's Erica Stanford also say it's worth considering whether New Zealand should introduce a hefty fine for people disrupting critical routes, similarly to what New South Wales has recently done.
Members of the Restore Passenger Rail group blocked a main Wellington route again on Friday, the third time they've stopped traffic this week. They're advocating for the Government to "immediately restore" inter-regional passenger rail to what it was in 2000.
But they're not getting much support from politicians.
Wood, the Transport Minister, told Newshub on Wednesday their actions were "unacceptable" and "undermining their cause". Speaking to AM on Friday, he went even further.
"It's up to the police to determine whether it's criminal, but I'll clearly call it idiotic, extremely dangerous and totally counterproductive," he said.
He said the Government is "really interested" in the potential for more passenger rail in New Zealand, but "this sort of activity will not build support for it, it'll do exactly the opposite".
The Te Huia service between Hamilton and Auckland was established under this Government to "help build the case for additional regional and inter-regional rail services", Wood said on Wednesday. Last week, when announcing KiwiRail would remain a State-Owned Enterprise, Wood said ministers were considering "how we can improve inter-regional passenger rail".
Parliament's Transport and Infrastructure Committee in August also started an inquiry into inter-regional passenger rail.
Stanford, appearing alongside Wood on AM, said there wouldn't have been a single person caught up in the traffic disruption this week who would have sat in their cars thinking about passenger rail.
AM's Melissa Chan-Green asked the pair whether they'd support beefed-up punishments for people who disrupt bridges or tunnels. New South Wales in April passed legislation allowing protesters to be handed nearly NZ$25,000 fines or a two years jail sentence if they block a bridge or tunnel.
Stanford said it was something "worth thinking about", noting that overseas there have been cases where people who needed to urgently get to places have been halted by protesters.
"I'm not going to announce anything today, but it's something we should probably be looking at to stop this kind of behaviour, because it's happening again today," she said.
Wood was on the same page.
"Potentially. It's something we'd have to have a good think about," he said. "There are obviously tools that the police currently do have in order to be able to dissuade this kind of behaviour. I'm sure police will be looking at what the criminal law does allow for in these situations."
He said other groups have caused some disruption on key routes, including the Auckland Harbour Bridge. In recent times, that's included anti-mandate protesters.
"I would say to people that in New Zealand we live in a wonderful democracy," Wood said.
"You have got a right to engage in peaceful protest. That is respected and people do often listen to that. I can tell you as politicians we do pay attention to these things, but this kind of behaviour, which as I say is not just incredibly disruptive, is actually really dangerous as well, is not going to win any points."
Six people were arrested following the protest on State Highway 2 on Friday morning and "charges are being considered".
On Wednesday, six people were charged with wilful trespass and criminal nuisance after blocking State Highway 1 ahead of Wellington's Terrace Tunnel. They appeared in the Wellington District Court and were remanded on bail.
