Groundswell NZ

1. Business / Trading Name: Groundswell NZ (commonly known as Groundswell New Zealand). Officially registered as Groundswell NZ Limited. The group brands itself as a “grassroots volunteer-driven advocacy group” representing farmers and rural communities.

2. Company Number: 8256357.

3. New Zealand Business Number (NZBN): 9429050034734.

4. Entity Type: New Zealand Limited Company (NZ Limited Company).

5. Business Classification: Registered as an advocacy and lobbying entity for farming interests (agricultural/rural advocacy) – Groundswell describes itself as a volunteer lobby group for “grassroots farmers and rural communities”. (No specific ANZSIC industry code publicly listed.)

6. Industry Category: Political Advocacy / Agriculture Lobbying. Groundswell emerged from the farming sector to influence government policy, particularly on environmental and agricultural regulations.

7. Year Founded: 2020. (The movement began in August 2020 with a tractor protest in Gore, Southland. The organization’s formal company was registered on 2 November 2021 following its rapid growth.)

8. Addresses: Registered Office: Findex (NZ) Limited, 24 Main Street, Gore, 9710 , New Zealand

9. Website URL:

https://www.groundswellnz.co.nz

9. (official website, with mission statements, campaign information, and donation portal).

10. LinkedIn URL: (No official LinkedIn page found. Groundswell NZ does not appear to maintain a LinkedIn profile, focusing instead on other social media and direct outreach.)

11. Company Hub NZ URL: https://www.companyhub.nz/companyDetails.cfm?nzbn=9429050034734 (CompanyHub listing for Groundswell NZ Limited, showing registration details).

12. NZ Companies Office URL: https://app.companiesoffice.govt.nz/companies/app/ui/pages/companies/8256357/addresses?backurl=H4sIAAAAAAAAAEXLQQrCMBCF4dtk46LRtkgXg7jRhV0I9gJDMmqgTeLMVOntrVhx978PXpHxRlK4NGSMYS4hZHffPWDVVJvG1taW1basDEUNOnVTJoF92y77oqijHDmN%2BcshusT5wGmApbsEBr1nEvm%2FFzjR9ErswYgiK1jThyEorGsj1xn95%2FnE6MifMVIPyiOZIXmCn78BwMQNK8AAAAA%3D

13. Social Media URLs: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GroundswellNZ – Primary platform with 65,000+ followers (as of 2025), used to mobilise supporters. Twitter (X): https://twitter.com/GroundswellNZ – Active account for announcements and commentary. (No official Instagram or YouTube identified.)

14. Ultimate Holding Company: None. Groundswell NZ is an independent entity with no parent company; it is owned by individual shareholders (farmers and supporters) rather than any holding company. (This independence is part of its grassroots image, though it leverages external consultants as noted below.)

15. Key Shareholders: Bryce Warrack McKenzie – 58% (58 shares). Laurance (Laurie) John Paterson – 26% (26 shares). Several other minor shareholders hold the remaining stakes (4 shares each, totaling 16%), Jamie Bruce Chittock (4%), Melanie Jayne Cupit (4%), Dianne Jean Smillie (4%), and Bruce Ian Robertson (4%). (These additional shareholders are likely fellow farmers or family; the company has 100 shares issued in total, indicating a small group of insiders controlling it.)

16. Leadership: Bryce McKenzie (Co-founder & Director) – West Otago farmer and the public face of Groundswell. Laurie Paterson (Co-founder & Director) – Southland farmer (Waikaka) and co-leader of the movement. Both are lifelong farmers who launched Groundswell and continue to lead its strategy. No formal CEO – leadership is centered on the co-founders. They are supported by a volunteer committee of farmers and rural professionals across New Zealand.

17. Staff: Volunteer-Driven. Groundswell has no publicly listed paid staff. It is run by the founders and a network of volunteer coordinators in various regions. The organisation outsources some functions (e.g. digital campaign management) to external contractors (see The Campaign Company involvement). There is no evidence of salaried lobbyists on staff; operational support (event planning, communications) is provided by volunteers and sympathetic professionals.

18. Staff with Previous Government Roles: None disclosed. The known leaders and volunteers are farmers or private-sector individuals, not former government officials. (Groundswell’s pitch is that it represents ordinary farmers, not ex-politicians or bureaucrats.) One notable associate is broadcaster Peter Williams (former TVNZ journalist) who hosts a “Groundswell Radio” podcast, but he is a media figure, not a former government official. No direct revolving-door connections to government roles have been identified among the team.

19. Past Employees: N/A. There is no record of past employees, as Groundswell does not maintain a traditional staffed office. Key departures have been of volunteers or regional coordinators (for example, a former Northland convener was removed – see Controversies) rather than employees.

20. Clients: N/A. Groundswell NZ is an advocacy group, not a consultancy-for-hire, so it has no “clients.” Its constituency is the farming community and rural public, not paying clients. (Groundswell itself is the entity lobbying on behalf of farmers, rather than representing external clients.)

21. Industries/Sectors Represented: Agriculture and Rural Communities. Groundswell explicitly represents farmers, growers, and rural businesses in New Zealand. Its advocacy covers dairy, beef & sheep farming, horticulture, and general rural sector concerns. It has campaigned on issues affecting the agricultural industry broadly (environmental regulations, farm emissions, land use, etc.). The group positions itself as the authentic voice of grassroots primary producers.

22. Publicly Disclosed Engagements: Meeting with Prime Minister (Dec 2022): Co-founders McKenzie and Paterson secured a 30-minute meeting with then-PM Jacinda Ardern to convey farmers’ concerns after repeatedly requesting an audience. Petition Deliveries to Parliament: In November 2021 they delivered 6,000 farmer letters to Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor protesting emissions charges and a proposed “ute tax”. In November 2022, they hand-delivered a petition of about 100,000 signatures (“Stop the Farming Tax”) to Parliament, opposing the government’s farm-level emissions pricing plan. Local Government Submissions: Groundswell wrote to all district councils in May 2021 urging them to pause implementation of new environmental zoning (Significant Natural Areas), and it gathered thousands of signatures prompting some councils to hold referendums on the Three Waters water infrastructure reforms in 2022. Select Committee Appearance: The group’s representatives have presented their views in parliamentary forums – for example, Bryce McKenzie gave evidence to the Primary Production Select Committee in 2024 regarding Groundswell’s proposals (following their large petition). Each of these engagements has been publicised by Groundswell, reflecting its strategy of directly confronting policymakers.

23. Affiliations: Informal links to the NZ Taxpayers’ Union – Groundswell collaborated with the Taxpayers’ Union (a right-leaning taxpayer advocacy group) for a joint nationwide “Stop Three Waters” roadshow in mid-2022, indicating a shared agenda against centralisation of water assets. Groundswell’s web infrastructure and campaigns have been supported by The Campaign Company, a political PR firm run by Taxpayers’ Union leader Jordan Williams (see below). The movement initially engaged with mainstream farming bodies: it hosted a meeting with Federated Farmers, DairyNZ, Beef+Lamb NZ and others in May 2021 to discuss regulatory issues. However, it is not formally part of those organisations and later clashed with them over policy. Groundswell has sought to distance itself from fringe groups like Voices for Freedom (VFF) – an anti-vaccine network – despite some overlap in protest attendance. In summary, Groundswell maintains a public stance of independence, but it has tactical alliances with other conservative and rural advocacy groups (especially on shared causes like Three Waters and emissions).

24. Sponsorships / Collaborations: Joint Campaigns: In June 2022, Groundswell co-organised a 36-town “Three Waters Roadshow” with the Taxpayers’ Union to rally opposition to the Government’s water reforms. This collaboration saw the two groups share resources and stage events nationally. Groundswell has also collaborated informally with local farm lobby groups and community networks to host public meetings (e.g. meetings in rural towns about environmental regulations). No Corporate Sponsorship Disclosed: Groundswell’s activities are funded by supporter donations and merchandise sales, not official corporate sponsors. There is no evidence of industry funding or commercial sponsorship deals – the group emphasizes grassroots support. (It’s notable that the Campaign Company is a paid contractor for Groundswell’s campaigns, but that is a vendor relationship rather than sponsorship.) Groundswell did receive in-kind support from rural communities – for example, local businesses lent vehicles and venues for protest events – but no formal sponsorships are listed.

25. Events (Organised by Groundswell): “Tractor Protest” in Gore (Oct 2020): The first rally, where farmers drove tractors through Gore’s main street to protest new freshwater regulations. “Howl of a Protest” (16 July 2021): A nationwide protest with tractor/ute convoys and farm dogs “howling” in 47–57 towns and cities across New Zealand. Thousands of farmers and supporters turned out, bringing rural grievances to city centres. “Mother of All Protests” (21 Nov 2021): A second wave of coordinated demonstrations nationwide after the government’s lack of response to the July protest. This time Groundswell broadened the agenda to include opposition to the Three Waters reform alongside environmental regulations. Petition Deliveries (Nov 2021 & Nov 2022): Symbolic events at Parliament where Groundswell leaders delivered thousands of letters and a 100k-signature petition (with media coverage and supporter presence). Town Hall Meetings (2021–2022): Dozens of public meetings in rural areas (e.g. Ashburton, Greymouth, Oamaru) to educate and mobilise farmers on issues like Significant Natural Areas and water reforms. “We’re Not Going to Take It” Protest (20 Oct 2022): A nationwide protest convoy opposing the government’s farm-level emissions pricing plan, which saw tractors jam city centres like Auckland and Wellington at midday. Farmers carried signs such as “Stop strangling farmers,” while some urban environmentalists staged counter-protests. “Drive 4 Change” Tractor Convoy (Sept–Oct 2023): A pre-election campaign where McKenzie and Paterson drove a convoy of tractors from Invercargill to Auckland over 10 days. This roadshow-style tour in the lead-up to the 2023 General Election aimed to rally rural voters to “vote for change” (i.e. vote out the incumbent government). Each major event has been accompanied by significant media attention, helping Groundswell galvanise support and influence public debate.

26. Political Donations: No Public Donations by the Organisation. Groundswell NZ (the company) does not appear in New Zealand’s register of political donors, and it has not publicly disclosed any donations to political parties. Instead of direct donations, Groundswell channeled its funds into its own advocacy campaigns. In 2023, Groundswell registered as a “third-party promoter” in the election and spent NZ$141,060 on advertising urging policy changes, rather than donating to any party. Key Individuals’ Donations: There is no public record of the founders making significant personal political donations either. (Co-founder Laurie Paterson explicitly said Groundswell was not aligned to any single party, which is consistent with the lack of formal donations.) Funding Sources: Groundswell is funded by grassroots contributions (donations, crowdfunding, merchandise) and possibly undisclosed private backers, but details are opaque – it pointedly refuses government funding and instead raises money from supporters. (It’s worth noting that allied groups like the Taxpayers’ Union have received funding from politically motivated donors, but Groundswell’s own donor list remains private.)

27. Controversies: Astroturfing Allegations: Critics have accused Groundswell of being “astroturf” (fake grassroots) due to revelations of its links with established conservative lobby groups. Notably, the domain registration for Groundswell’s “Mother of All Protests” website was initially registered to the NZ Taxpayers’ Union – a right-wing lobby – and was swiftly changed to The Campaign Company Ltd, owned by Taxpayers’ Union director Jordan Williams. This incident (uncovered in Nov 2021) fueled suspicion that Groundswell’s supposedly spontaneous farmer uprising was partly orchestrated by professional political operatives. Groundswell’s leaders denied being a front, explaining they “just happened to use the same tech guy” as the Taxpayers’ Union for their website, but the episode remains a point of contention in media. Far-Right & Anti-Vax Associations: Groundswell’s mass protests in 2021 attracted some supporters with extremist views – e.g. attendees brought Trump flags, anti-vaccine slogans, and even misogynistic signs (“anti-women” messages) at rallies. This embarrassed the organisers. They publicly distanced themselves from racist, sexist, or conspiracy rhetoric, issuing a list of banned slogans for protest signs. In August 2021 and again in 2022, media reported overlaps between Groundswell’s regional coordinators and the fringe anti-vax group Voices for Freedom. For instance, Northland Groundswell leader Tracy Thomasson was revealed to be a Voices for Freedom member and promoter of far-right disinformation; Groundswell severed ties with Thomasson after learning of her agenda. Co-founder Bryce McKenzie stated such individuals “did not represent Groundswell’s values”. Conflict with Mainstream Farm Organisations: Groundswell courted controversy by attacking industry bodies like DairyNZ and Beef + Lamb NZ, calling them “pet lobby groups” of the government and “failing establishment bodies” for cooperating on climate policy. This led DairyNZ’s chairman to accuse Groundswell of spreading “misinformation, personal attacks and political tricks” in a member letter. The very public rift exposed a split in the farming community – with Groundswell painting the traditional farm leadership as sellouts, and those organisations in turn criticizing Groundswell’s tactics and accuracy. Media Criticism and Misinformation Claims: Government ministers and some commentators have disparaged Groundswell’s campaigns as ill-informed or partisan. For example, Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor labeled a low-turnout Groundswell protest at Parliament “embarrassing”, and climate advocates argue Groundswell ignores scientific consensus on issues like emissions. Groundswell has also been scrutinised for occasionally sharing misleading claims on social media (which it denies). Overall, controversies around Groundswell focus on the integrity of its grassroots image, the involvement of far-right elements, and its confrontational stance toward both government and traditional farming bodies.

28. Other Information of Note: Use of Professional Campaign Services: Groundswell’s impressive digital presence and rapid mobilisation capacity are partly thanks to The Campaign Company (TCC) – a political consulting firm. Groundswell quietly hired TCC (run by Jordan Williams of the Taxpayers’ Union) to design and manage its online campaigns. This gave Groundswell a sophisticated web platform for petitions and coordinated email blasts that “established players” initially lacked. In fact, by 2023 Groundswell paid at least NZ$78,200 to The Campaign Company for campaign services. This outsourcing of expertise allowed a small farmer group to punch above its weight online, but also ties it to a wider network of lobbying entities. Regional Chapters and Growth: Groundswell evolved from two farmers posting on Facebook to a nationwide movement with local chapters. It established regional convenors in many provinces (e.g. Northland, King Country, Otago), who organised local rallies. Some of these local leaders have been high-profile in their communities (for instance, Groundswell’s Dunedin protest was organised by local farmer Gill Marshall). The network remains informal, coordinated via social media groups rather than a formal federation. Media Strategy: The group has proven adept at media engagement – co-founder Bryce McKenzie regularly appears on talk radio and TV rural shows, and Groundswell often pre-empts criticism by engaging with journalists (e.g. inviting media to their tractor convoys). They also launched a weekly podcast (“Groundswell Radio”) hosted by veteran broadcaster Peter Williams to amplify their message in a polished format. Not a Political Party: Groundswell has consistently said it will not form a political party. Instead it operates as a lobbying pressure group. Before the 2023 election, they campaigned for policy changes rather than endorsing a party, though their “vote for change” message clearly aligned with opposition parties’ positions. This approach avoided the need to register as a party, but still exerted political influence. Integrity and Transparency: Groundswell positions itself as an honest voice for farmers, but it has been reluctant to reveal funding details. The group’s finances (donations received, identities of major donors if any) remain opaque – a concern raised by transparency advocates given its large-scale lobbying spend. Groundswell did comply with electoral law by filing a third-party expenditure return in 2023, but beyond that required disclosure, the internal funding sources and decision-making remain largely private to the founders. This lack of formal transparency, while legal for a private entity, is “of note” because it stands in contrast to the public interest nature of its campaigns.

29. Recipient of Wage Subsidy Scheme: No. There is no indication that Groundswell NZ Limited received any COVID-19 Wage Subsidy payments from the government. The company was registered in late 2021, after the main 2020 wage subsidy period, and as an advocacy organisation it likely has minimal payroll. In fact, it would be politically awkward for Groundswell – which protests government policies – to be seen taking government subsidies. A search of the official wage subsidy database shows no record of “Groundswell NZ” as a claimant. The founders individually did not report taking subsidies for Groundswell activities. (Thus Groundswell can claim it hasn’t relied on government handouts while opposing government regulations.)

---

Sources

[1] Groundswell NZ Limited – Company Information, CompanyHub (NZ Companies Office data aggregator), https://www.companyhub.nz/companyDetails.cfm?nzbn=9429050034734

[2] Our Mission – Groundswell NZ, GroundswellNZ (official website), https://groundswellnz.co.nz (describing the group as a volunteer-driven advocacy group fighting “unworkable regulations”)

[3] Groundswell’s Leadership Understands Their Sector…, The Detail (RNZ podcast) – Sharon Brettkelly, 12 Apr 2022, RNZ.co.nz (notes that Groundswell focuses on farmers & rural communities and criticizes compliance costs)

[4] Timeline: The Beginning (Aug 2020), Groundswell NZ – Our Story, GroundswellNZ.co.nz (official site) (founding by two frustrated southern farmers)

[5] Company Search – Bryce McKenzie, CarJam (NZ Companies Office/COYS search result), listing Bryce W. McKenzie as Director/Shareholder of Groundswell NZ Ltd at 381 Oyster Creek Rd, RD1 Gore, 9771

[6] Privacy Policy – Groundswell NZ, GroundswellNZ.co.nz (updated 8 June 2022), (provides contact email hello@groundswell.org.nz for inquiries)

[7] Groundswell NZ Facebook Page, Facebook.com/GroundswellNZ (accessed Apr 2025) (shows ~53k followers)

[8] Shareholding – Groundswell NZ Limited, CompanyHub (NZ) (shows 100 shares total, all held by individuals, no corporate parent)

[9] Important Information: Groundswell NZ Ltd, CompanyHub.nz (shareholders: Bryce McKenzie 58 shares (58%), Laurie Paterson 26 shares (26%))

[10] Shareholders (continued): Groundswell NZ Ltd, CompanyHub.nz (minor shareholders: Jamie Bruce Chittock 4 shares, Bruce Ian Robertson 4 shares – each 4%)

[11] Our Founders – Bryce McKenzie, GroundswellNZ.co.nz (official site bio) (Bryce McKenzie is a lifelong farmer and founding member of a local water care group)

[12] Our Founders – Laurie Paterson, GroundswellNZ.co.nz (official site bio) (Laurie Paterson is a multi-generational Southland farmer, ONZM for services to beef industry)

[13] Sally Rae, “Howl of a Protest on way,” Otago Daily Times, 14 Jul 2021 (notes Groundswell’s volunteer regional coordinators like Gill Marshall in Dunedin helping organise protests)

[14] Bryce Edwards, “Dirty Politics 2.0? Lobbying in the Shadows,” LinkedIn Pulse (The Integrity Institute), 13 Apr 2025, (reports that Groundswell paid ~$78k to Jordan Williams’ The Campaign Company for campaign services)

[15] Sally Rae, “Groundswell NZ co-founders to meet Prime Minister,” Otago Daily Times/New Zealand Herald, 15 Dec 2022, (Laurie Paterson quoted: Groundswell “won’t be holding back” telling the PM farmers’ frustrations)

[16] Barbara Kuriger, “Why the rush?,” Scoop (Parliament Today), 23 Aug 2021, (National’s agriculture spokesperson commends Groundswell’s Gore tractor protest (Nov 2020) against the freshwater regulations and lists regulatory burdens on farmers)

[17] Groundswell NZ – Our Story (official timeline), GroundswellNZ.co.nz, entry 25 Nov 2021 (founders delivered 6,000+ letters from farmers to Minister Damien O’Connor at Parliament)

[18] Groundswell NZ – Our Story (official timeline), GroundswellNZ.co.nz, entry 24 May 2021 (Groundswell wrote to all councils demanding they oppose Significant Natural Areas mapping)

[19] Gustaf Torrin, “The Campaign Company: Astroturfing for fun and profit,” Astroturfing.nz, 6 Mar 2024, (cites Electoral Commission returns showing Groundswell spent $141,060 on election advertising in 2023, of which $78,200 went to The Campaign Company)

[20] Bryce Edwards, “Dirty Politics 2.0? Lobbying in the Shadows,” LinkedIn Pulse, 13 Apr 2025, (details how in Nov 2021 the domain motherofallprotests.nz was first registered to the Taxpayers’ Union, then switched to The Campaign Company – revealing Jordan Williams’ involvement in Groundswell’s campaign)

[21] Anusha Bradley, “Groundswell aims to distance itself from Voices for Freedom,” RNZ News, 27 Oct 2022, (reports Groundswell cut ties with Northland coordinator Tracy Thomasson due to her anti-vax/Voices for Freedom agenda, with McKenzie saying her views didn’t represent Groundswell)

[22] Eva Corlett, “NZ’s once all-powerful farmers split amid anger over Ardern climate policy,” The Guardian, 30 May 2022, (reports that Bryce McKenzie called DairyNZ/Beef+Lamb “pet lobby groups” of govt and DairyNZ chair Jim van der Poel accused Groundswell of spreading “misinformation, personal attacks and political tricks”)

[23] Andrea Vance, “Groundswell may be couple of farmers…but had foresight to pay The Campaign Company,” Stuff.co.nz, 22 Nov 2021, (noting Groundswell’s digital campaign was boosted by hiring Jordan Williams’ Campaign Company, giving it influence far beyond a typical farmer group)

[24] Lucy Craymer, “NZ farmers set for right-wing protest vote over climate change policies,” Reuters, 27 Sep 2023, (discusses how rural voter anger, stirred by Groundswell’s tractor convoys and anti-regulation stance, contributed to a swing to right-wing parties in the 2023 election)

Spot anything in this entry that is wrong? Please either leave a comment at the end or email, in confidence: bryce@democracyproject.nz