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Newsroom
25-06-2025
- Politics
- Newsroom
Climate action must be seen to be done
Opinion: What use is climate protest to society? A version of this question was posed to the jury during the trial of four Restore Passenger Rail activists this year. It's worth asking because the impact of climate activism is not always clear or linear. However, new research reviews the evidence on the effectiveness of climate activism in shaping voting, political communication, public opinion, and media coverage. The research authors looked at 50 of the most robust and recent evaluations of protest. Among other things, they found that climate activism tends to increase public concern about climate change. There is already a very high level of consensus in this country that climate change is real and the vast majority of the population are worried about it. But there is a gap between people wanting action and what is happening on the ground. For example, the policies of our current Government could be described as a masterclass in climate delay. It pushes non-transformative, even non-existent, solutions such as carbon capture, while financing further fossil gas extraction. Members of the Government emphasise the downsides of changing our economy and society, without acknowledging the vastly more enormous costs both now and into the future of not acting. And they redirect responsibility – we are too small and our actions are supposedly meaningless. Deputy Prime Minister David Seymour has also questioned whether we should remain part of the Paris Agreement. Climate protest acts as a bridge between the population and the decision makers who serve us. Protests communicate the depth of feeling and provide one way of seeking accountability from politicians for community wellbeing. Protests and direct action are often reported by mainstream media as provoking a negative response among the wider public. However, research has found very little evidence of 'backfire'. Furthermore, researchers have observed a 'radical flank' effect – even very disruptive protest pulled public opinion towards the climate cause, although towards the more moderate groups and positions. Climate activism was also found to shape political communication from politicians, and when looked at at a regional or state scale, was related to lower emissions (although the causal relationship was not clear). Other work by Lincoln University's Sylvia Nissen and colleagues describes the 'legacies' of political action – the emergence of political leaders who go on to shape policy and politics, the ways new narratives flow through culture, and the way political action seeds ideas, skills, and relationships that grow in unexpected ways. By thinking about legacies, we can appreciate some of the ways protest contributes to our political make-up. Take for instance the nuclear-free movement – as well as affecting broader geopolitics, protest fed into political discourse. This led to iconic political moments ('I can smell the uranium on your breath') that helped evolve our national identity. Much of the current Government's work promotes individualism – there is little sense of a public that it serves (as opposed to a group of consumers, or workers with an airline CEO). For instance, note its efforts to undermine Te Tiriti o Waitangi, the treaty that holds us together. Or the promotion of liberty, free choice, and property rights in the Regulatory Standards Bill over shared responsibilities to each other, and to the environment. In contrast, climate action is about being together, in communities (whether communities of place or communities of interest), to nurture the things that Aotearoa New Zealanders value – nature and fairness. The jury in the trial of the Restore Passenger Rail activists had to weigh up the risk of the actions taken (hanging signs and people from gantries and tunnel entries around Wellington) and whether those were the actions of a reasonable person. The court heard from two climate scientists. Their message was clear – the scale of transformation needed requires enormous collective effort now. Their evidence was included by the defence to build the argument that the actions of the protesters were entirely reasonable; after decades of trying every other lever, in the face of intransigent business-as-usual, disruption was all these activists felt they had left. Ultimately, the jury found one person not guilty and they couldn't reach a verdict for the other three. The trial was supposed to be the first in a series arising from Restore Passenger Rail (now Climate Liberation Aotearoa) protests in 2022 and 2023. However, in May the Crown abandoned the prosecutions of more than 20 people. Did the protests have social utility? As I've highlighted, there are many ways of answering this question – from the shared good of helping build public opinion in favour of climate action, to translating public sentiment into a call for accountability and meaningful action from decision makers, to the (very difficult to measure) legacies of political leadership and cultural impacts. Despite all the rhetoric of individualism, ultimately this Government, like the ones before it, is an expression of a collective. It is accountable to the public and not just once every three years. In the enormous gaps between public opinion and the coalition's discourses of climate delay, between its rhetoric of democracy and its actions undermining it, protest is a democratic bridge that delivers the weight of collective feeling to those who are supposed to be representing us.
RNZ News
07-05-2025
- RNZ News
Police disappointed Restore Passenger Rail prosecution abandoned, say safety was at risk
Protestors at Basin Reserve in 2023 glued themselves to the road. Photo: Jemima Huston Police are disappointed the prosecution of more than 20 climate activists, who brought Wellington rush-hour traffic to a halt numerous times, has been abandoned. But the Kings Counsel who defended some of the protesters in the first and now only trial says the criminalisation of protesters is worrying and charges carrying up to 14 years in jail should never have been laid. The Solicitor-General's office did not specifically address questions by RNZ about whether the prosecutions should have been brought. On Tuesday, Crown prosecutors confirmed they did not see the public interest in pursuing a retrial of three defendants facing charges of endangering transport, and a further six trials related to Restore Passenger Rail protests in 2022 and 2023 - after jurors in the first trial became deadlocked on the issue of whether the protests caused an unreasonable risk. Wellington District Court Judge Jan Kelly dismissed the charges for the defendants facing a retrial, and a raft of charges for more than 20 other defendants. Police, however, are steadfast and maintain the protesters - some of whom abseiled above highways and glued themselves to main roads - caused significant chaos and potential harm to Wellington commuters and themselves. Acting Wellington District Commander Inspector Lincoln Sycamore said the outcome was disappointing. "The challenge for us is that, in this case, there was insufficient evidence of the danger that resulted from the protesters' behaviour. "To be clear, that does not mean the danger didn't exist, just that we were unable to demonstrate it to the level required under the legislation." He said the concern was that such protests put drivers at risk and potentially blocked emergency services. Police were considering how to tackle similar protests in future, he said, and would "continue to take action against unsafe protest behaviour". Meanwhile, Kings Counsel and defence lawyer Christopher Stevenson said not only were the dismissals appropriate, but the prosecutions should never have been brought - especially the charge of endangering transport which saw defendants face up to 14 years in jail. He said it followed a "worrying international trend of the attempted criminalisation of climate crisis activists". "The UN secretary general at the time these activists took to the streets said ... we are on a fast-track to catastrophe, we are heading towards an unliveable future. "These are community-spirited people who have been endeavouring to raise the alarm about inaction by the goverment in relation to the climate crisis - and prosecuting them was the wrong thing to do. "I think the reaction of the jury not to convict anyone in this case sends a message along those lines." Stevenson said the dismissals did not set a precedent, but the police should pay attention to them. The office of the Solicitor-General said Crown Law very rarely had any involvement in charging decisions, which were matters for the police and Crown solicitors. "In this instance, the Crown solicitor has determined, on the particular facts of the case and applying the Solicitor-General's prosecution guidelines in relation to retrials, that the public interest would not be served by a retrial." Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
Scoop
06-05-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
Restore Passenger Rail Climate Protest Charges Dropped 6 May
Article – Climate Liberation Aotearoa The group said that their actions in 2022-23 were an attempt to match the urgency of the climate catastrophe, which was, and is still, being largely ignored by the government. In the Wellington District Court today the Crown prosecution withdrew all outstanding charges against twenty-five Restore Passenger Rail supporters who temporarily and repeatedly stopped traffic on Wellington roads and motorways in 2022-23. The climate defender group demanded that the government restore a nationwide, affordable passenger rail service for New Zealanders. Police originally charged the road-sitters with obstruction, later bumping it up to the criminal offence of endangering transport, carrying a maximum penalty of 14 years in prison. Three of the group each spent two weeks in prison and five, including a great-grandmother, a grandmother and a grandfather, wore electronic monitoring bracelets for up to 13 months. Earlier this year the first of seven jury trials ended after three weeks with one not-guilty verdict (Andrew Sutherland) and a hung jury for three others (Michael Apáthy, Te Wehi Ratana and Tāmati Taptiklis). During the trial, jurors heard from climate experts Dr Kevin Anderson, Professor of Energy and Climate Change at the University of Manchester, and James Renwick, Professor of Physical Geography at Te Herenga Waka. When asked what three degrees Celcius of warming above pre-industrial levels would be like, Professor Anderson replied, 'We haven't seen that for millions and millions of years. … Huge parts of the planet will be uninhabitable.' Professor Renwick explained that in the worst-case scenarios, sea level rise could reach three to four metres. 'Most of downtown Wellington will be underwater, downtown Auckland – most of it will be underwater,' he said. 'Today's decision is an important moment for the climate movement,' said Climate Liberation Aotearoa (formerly Restore Passenger Rail) spokesperson Michael Apáthy. 'In March, the hung jury result showed that New Zealanders do understand the seriousness of the climate emergency. Today's decision backs that up. It is also not only a vindication of our democratic right to protest but a criticism of the police charge which was out of all proportion to our actions.' The group said that their actions in 2022-23 were an attempt to match the urgency of the climate catastrophe, which was, and is still, being largely ignored by the government. They said that a nationwide passenger rail service would begin to bring down New Zealand's out-of-control transport emissions, while at the same time reducing road congestion, connecting communities and improving the quality of life for New Zealanders. 'We are living through the world's sixth mass extinction,' said Michael Apáthy. 'Climate breakdown is daily news. Floods, wildfires, and droughts are accelerating. Temperatures in Pakistan last week, pre-summer, reached 50 degrees Celsius. That is unsurvivable. Yet instead of working to help safeguard a liveable future this government has downgraded climate change in its 2025 Defence Capability Plan and is spending an extra $12 billion on making our military more 'modern and combat-capable'.' 'We hope today's decision will help steer police away from the international trend of increased repression of peaceful protest. When our government continues to fail us on its path of climate denial and erosion of the democratic process and environmental protections, it is left to ordinary people to stand up for our youth and all living creatures. This moment in history calls on all of us to fight for the transformative change needed for our survival. Climate Liberation Aotearoa will continue that fight. Climate action is needed now more than ever.'
Scoop
06-05-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
Restore Passenger Rail Climate Protest Charges Dropped 6 May
Article – Climate Liberation Aotearoa In the Wellington District Court today the Crown prosecution withdrew all outstanding charges against twenty-five Restore Passenger Rail supporters who temporarily and repeatedly stopped traffic on Wellington roads and motorways in 2022-23. The climate defender group demanded that the government restore a nationwide, affordable passenger rail service for New Zealanders. Police originally charged the road-sitters with obstruction, later bumping it up to the criminal offence of endangering transport, carrying a maximum penalty of 14 years in prison. Three of the group each spent two weeks in prison and five, including a great-grandmother, a grandmother and a grandfather, wore electronic monitoring bracelets for up to 13 months. Earlier this year the first of seven jury trials ended after three weeks with one not-guilty verdict (Andrew Sutherland) and a hung jury for three others (Michael Apáthy, Te Wehi Ratana and Tāmati Taptiklis). During the trial, jurors heard from climate experts Dr Kevin Anderson, Professor of Energy and Climate Change at the University of Manchester, and James Renwick, Professor of Physical Geography at Te Herenga Waka. When asked what three degrees Celcius of warming above pre-industrial levels would be like, Professor Anderson replied, 'We haven't seen that for millions and millions of years. … Huge parts of the planet will be uninhabitable.' Professor Renwick explained that in the worst-case scenarios, sea level rise could reach three to four metres. 'Most of downtown Wellington will be underwater, downtown Auckland – most of it will be underwater,' he said. 'Today's decision is an important moment for the climate movement,' said Climate Liberation Aotearoa (formerly Restore Passenger Rail) spokesperson Michael Apáthy. 'In March, the hung jury result showed that New Zealanders do understand the seriousness of the climate emergency. Today's decision backs that up. It is also not only a vindication of our democratic right to protest but a criticism of the police charge which was out of all proportion to our actions.' The group said that their actions in 2022-23 were an attempt to match the urgency of the climate catastrophe, which was, and is still, being largely ignored by the government. They said that a nationwide passenger rail service would begin to bring down New Zealand's out-of-control transport emissions, while at the same time reducing road congestion, connecting communities and improving the quality of life for New Zealanders. 'We are living through the world's sixth mass extinction,' said Michael Apáthy. 'Climate breakdown is daily news. Floods, wildfires, and droughts are accelerating. Temperatures in Pakistan last week, pre-summer, reached 50 degrees Celsius. That is unsurvivable. Yet instead of working to help safeguard a liveable future this government has downgraded climate change in its 2025 Defence Capability Plan and is spending an extra $12 billion on making our military more 'modern and combat-capable'.' 'We hope today's decision will help steer police away from the international trend of increased repression of peaceful protest. When our government continues to fail us on its path of climate denial and erosion of the democratic process and environmental protections, it is left to ordinary people to stand up for our youth and all living creatures. This moment in history calls on all of us to fight for the transformative change needed for our survival. Climate Liberation Aotearoa will continue that fight. Climate action is needed now more than ever.'
RNZ News
06-05-2025
- Politics
- RNZ News
Passenger Rail protester hopes precedent set for future climate change activism after charges dropped
26022025 photo DAVID UNWIN / THE POST Restore Passenger Rail protestors appear in Wellington District Court. Defendant Thomas Brydone Taptiklis, 44. Photo: The Post/David Unwin A protester agitating for climate change action feels no joy after the Crown abandoned the prosecution of more than 20 defendants, including his own, in the Wellington District Court. The Crown confirmed on Tuesday that it would no longer pursue a retrial of three defendants on charges of endangering transport and that it would also drop a further six trials related to protests under the banner of Restore Passenger Rail in 2022 and 2023. The jurors in the first trial couldn't reach an agreement on whether the protests carried an unreasonable risk to the public. Now, the Crown said any future trials would face the same issue and it was not in the public interest to continue. Protesters brought rush-hour traffic to a halt in Wellington when they staged sit downs and stuck their hands to the road, abseiled above Mount Victoria tunnel and hung banners from gantries above State Highway 1. Some defendants were discharged without conviction, while others await sentencing on guilty pleas - however, most of the charges were dismissed. The trial for Andrew Sutherland, Michael Apathy, Thomas Taptiklis, and Te Wehi Ratana began on 26 February. All four faced charges of endangering transport, with a maximum penalty of 14 years in prison. After more than three days of deliberation, Sutherland was acquitted on 10 March - a day later, the jury was dismissed and a retrial ordered after jurors were unable to reach a verdict for the other three defendants. The Crown has now abandoned the retrial and a further six trials for other defendants. However, Thomas Taptikilis said it was far from a personal triumph. "The climate is worse than ever. There's no going on with my life and being happy. "I'm sad that it feels like we have to go to such lengths to try to get adequate action and we haven't remotely got [it] ... so, I can't say I feel any joy about this." He said he hoped it set a precedent and that protesters would not face prosecution for future climate change activism. Te Wehi Ratana said while the issue of climate change hadn't gone away, the result was a vindication. "When the jury was given all the facts, and the evidence from our two expert scientists - who made it very clear what was going on - the jury were unable to convict us and say what we did was unreasonable. "Because what we did was reasonable within the context of the climate crisis." In a memorandum to the court, Crown prosecutors said it was clear that the jury became deadlocked on the issue of whether the risk each defendant took was unreasonable across three protests in 2022. "Given the way the trial developed, and the issue on which the jury became deadlocked, the Crown does not consider a re-trial is in the public interest. "Similarly, the remaining six prosecutions would have the same issue. The Crown does not consider that continuing with those prosecutions is in the public interest." Four defendants had charges dismissed without conviction, while six pleaded guilty to lesser charges. Sutherland and Taptiklis pleaded guilty to wilful damage charges and await sentencing. Defendants whose charges were also dismissed include; Rachael Mary Andrews, Susan Melanie Boyde, James Louis Cockle, Carrillon Dawn Cowan, Jill Jackson, Timothy Richard Musson, Anne Margueretta Smith, John Wilson Tovey, Dominic James Grose, Alex Sidney Jacobsen, Jenniffer Mary Olsen, Alex Harry, Gregor Morgan, Kaile Quian, Caroline Rousseau Sheldon-Williams, Julian John Warmington, Jenny Whittington, Rosemary Anne Penwarden, Alexander Henry Cockle and Joanne Kathleen Sutherland.
