'An attack on our parliament'

A clean up is underway in Wellington, but tackling conspiracy theory is our bigger challenge

Mōrena and welcome to The Bulletin for Thursday, March 3, by Justin Giovannetti. Presented in partnership with Z Energy.

In today’s edition: Rapid tests to take home; hotels after MIQ; Countdown grapples with over 1,000 cases; but first, a day of mayhem outside parliament.

Firefighters are covered by riot shields to protect them from projectiles as they put out blazes on the parliament grounds. (Image: RNZ)

A riot that will not be soon forgotten. The occupation of parliament’s grounds ended yesterday in unprecedented scenes at the heart of New Zealand’s democracy as police and protesters engaged in a series of violent clashes that lasted for hours. What began with chest-thumping and anti-vaccine rhetoric ended in a riot, with fires set in the encampment and rioters ripping up cobblestones to hurl at police officers. The police started with shields, moved on to pepper spray and eventually bombarded rioters with firehoses and a sound cannon. Rubber bullets were deployed in the evening when the rioters began trashing neighbouring streets in the capital. I observed the protest throughout the day and contributed to The Spinoff’s live updates. The smouldering debris outside parliament now serves as a powerful symbol that misinformation and conspiracy theory are no longer limited to the digital fringe, but are a clear ailment in our national politics. In that, New Zealand now joins many of the world’s democracies.

The turning point that made police move in. As towing began of vehicles that had blocked Wellington streets for 23 days, police commissioner Andrew Coster explained yesterday morning why the decision was made to act. He said that the “makeup of the crowd” had changed, with those harbouring good intentions outnumbered by a group willing to use violence. The protest’s leaders had lost effective control. Stuff has written about the police operation that was a baptism of fire for 76 recruits who only graduated on Monday, but were needed in one of the largest police actions in the country’s history.

The fires. Coster’s words became clear on Wednesday afternoon when a fire broke out in the middle of the protest camp as it was being rapidly torn apart by police. It’s possible that the fire was accidentally started by police removing a tent. It’s what happened next that wasn’t accidental. As police fell back and the flames grew larger, rioters began throwing everything they could on the fire to make it grow and spread. It had been an ugly and violent day before that. When someone threw an LPG bottle on a fire near hundreds of people, that was a deeply dangerous and criminal act. Then more fires appeared, as rioters sensed a way to slow the police advance. They even set fire to the parliament playground. I’ve covered dozens and dozens of protests in my career. In most, my sympathies were with the protesters. Never before have I seen a protest be so reckless and offensive towards decent people. Stuff has compiled photos of the day.

What comes next for Wellington. Newshub spoke with Wellingtonians celebrating as police pushed the protesters back. There certainly is a group who support the protest, but few of them are in the capital. As RNZ reports, it’s likely the prime minister spoke for most New Zealanders when she said parliament had been “desecrated” and vowed to restore what was destroyed. There have been arrests, vehicles have been towed and some police officers are in hospital with injuries. At least one officer was carried away in a stretcher. Asked what she would tell protesters hurling heavy cobblestones at police heads, Jacinda Ardern said: “My hope is they put down their weapons long enough for the police to arrest them.” It was clearly a difficult press conference for the prime minister and honestly, for most of the reporters in the room as well. We had all just witnessed hours of fighting and were conducting a relatively normal press conference while knowing that fighting was continuing only metres away. A number of members of parliament shared their shock and distress, as the NZ Herald reports. Including National leader Christopher Luxon, who said “there’s no justification for such abhorrent behaviour.”

A postscript. As I got home yesterday evening to write this newsletter, the smell of burning plastic clung to my clothes. Quiet has largely returned to the area and as the Dominion Post reports, volunteers now want to help with the clean up. The smoke that hung over parliament will be gone this morning, the social ills won’t. Thomas Coughlan (paywalled) has looked at how we can battle misinformation. Here’s what the prime minister said about it yesterday:

“One day, it will be our job to try and understand how a group of people could succumb to such wild and dangerous mis- and disinformation. And while many of us have seen that disinformation, and dismissed it as conspiracy theory, a small portion of our society have not only believed it, they have acted on it in an extreme and violent way. That cannot stand.”

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A quick word. With omicron cases increasing and tensions running high, there has never been a greater need for trustworthy and freely accessible journalism. The generous support of our members powers all of The Spinoff's Covid-19 coverage, from live updates to the award-winning mahi of Toby Morris and Siouxsie Wiles. Tautoko mai, join The Spinoff Members today.

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Rapid tests can now be ordered for home testing. If you are symptomatic or a household contact, you can now get a Rat prepared through the new Rat requester. You’ll need to go get it from a collection site, but it should end the long waits at community testing centres. For those without symptoms or a household contact, you still need to purchase a rapid test at a pharmacy or supermarket. Stuff reports on some concerns of price gouging as some people have spent up to $15 per test.

Kat sent The Bulletin a picture of a receipt from Westgate for $68 for four tests, that’s $17 each. If you’ve purchased a Rat for what you consider an unreasonable price, please send me the details.

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The end of MIQ is growing near. Covid-19 minister Chris Hipkins extended a thank you to the thousands of New Zealanders who have worked in MIQ facilities over the past two years, facing the pandemic personally and sometimes less than hospitable neighbours. In the next two weeks, cabinet will likely decide on ending most of the border system. Some facilities will remain permanently as MIQ and the system will be designed for a quick reactivation if a new variant arrives. RNZ reports that Hipkins promised the government will treat workers fairly as MIQ ends. As a sign of what’s to come, MIQ hotels are preparing for full refits after two years of heavy use. Returnees have spent nearly ever hour in the rooms for up to 14 days, so anything soft needs replacing. Pretty soon, the Pullman will just be the Pullman again.

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It’s no news that New Zealanders are feeling the pinch at the pump. Being at the end of a long supply chain influenced by decisions halfway across the world means fuel prices are often heavily inflated by the time it gets into our cars.
And while we can't do much about global fuel demand or the international political climate, Z is here to help New Zealanders pay a little less to refuel.
With Sharetank and the Z app, you can find and purchase the lowest Z price fuel within 30km of your location. And if the price is right, you can pre-purchase up to 1,000 litres of your chosen fuel. Once it’s in the tank, you can hit the road and refuel at any Z location across the country using your balance, and even share it with up to five others. Download the Z app for free today to get saving.

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Countdown undergoing some temporary changes after 1,000 staff test positive. Nearly half of the staff at the grocery chain’s two Auckland distribution centres are off work due to Covid-19 infections, with 10% of store workers on sick leave. According to RNZ, Countdown only expects the number impacted to grow and many of its suppliers have also been hit. While there’s lots of food and groceries in the system, some stores have run out of toilet paper, potato chips and frozen food. The chain is prioritising the availability of essential items and online orders will be reduced in the coming days.

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Man poisoned by gifted wine. The Northern Advocate reports on a homicide investigation launched into the suspicious death of a 67-year-old Northland man. It appears that he drank two bottles of wine left in his letterbox and one of them contained poison. It’s an odd and deadly situation.

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Got some feedback about The Bulletin, or anything in the news?
Get in touch with me at thebulletin@thespinoff.co.nz

A rioter throws a desk on to a fire by the parliamentary playground. (Marty Melville / AFP via Getty Images)

Right now on The Spinoff: Toby Manhire examines the forces at play yesterday outside parliament and what comes next. Dylan Reeve writes about the copycat protests that sprang up around the country. Toby Morris releases a new comic in his Side Eye series on who gets left behind by the healthcare system. Charlotte Muru-Lanning explores how Lisa Reihana’s public art tells stories of the moana that connect us all. Sam Brooks reports on a call for help from First Scene.

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The Women’s Cricket World Cup is about to get underway. Following a one year delay, the wickets will be out tomorrow for the start of the women’s world cup in New Zealand. RNZ looks at what to expect, who is playing and when you can catch the matches.