Racing Minister Winston Peters and other MPs stand with supporters of a petition for the Government to class people who ride horses on roads as vulnerable road users. Photo / Adam Pearse
Racing Minister Winston Peters and other MPs stand with supporters of a petition for the Government to class people who ride horses on roads as vulnerable road users. Photo / Adam Pearse
Racing Minister Winston Peters says he wants cross-party support to help protect people who ride horses on roads as he and other MPs accept a petition supported by pony clubs and other equestrian groups.
Peters was one of several politicians who met with New Zealand Equestrian Network’s Julia McLean and her 12-year-old daughter Delia on Parliament’s forecourt after they’d presented a petition urging the Government to treat horse riders on roads in a similar fashion to cyclists as a vulnerable road user.
McLean, who led the “Pass Wide and Slow” campaign, told the Herald the designation would mean people who rode horses on the road would be included in consultation over safety standards and education efforts.
Speaking anecdotally, McLean believed the frequency and severity of incidents involving horses ridden on roads had increased in recent years.
Racing Minister Winston Peters speaks with Julia McLean (right) and daughter Delia (centre) after handing over the petition. Photo / Adam Pearse
McLean was well aware of the risks posed. In 2008, she was involved in an incident while riding her horse on a road which left her in a coma and ended her career as a broadcast journalist.
“It’s a massive price to pay,” she said.
“That’s a 600kg animal you don’t want through your windscreen so slow the hell down.”
She’d found support from politicians from several parties, including the Green Party (Julie Anne Genter, Celia Wade-Brown), New Zealand First (Peters), National (Grant McCallum, Dana Kirkpatrick), Labour (Kieran McAnulty) and Act (Cameron Luxton).
McLean said she had written to Transport Minister Simeon Brown about the issue but hadn’t heard back.
She was critical of public comments he had made arguing current standards were enough to keep those particular road users safe. McLean also challenged Brown to ride with her so he could witness the risks for himself.
The Herald was awaiting a response from Brown’s office.
Racing Minister Winston Peters is a firm advocate, having ridden horses to school in Northland. Photo / Adam Pearse
McCallum, the Northland MP who accepted the petition, believed it was important to educate the public on safe driving around horses and planned to take McLean’s concerns to Brown.
Peters said he was not “close-minded” to the idea, saying there needed to be rules. Growing up in Northland and riding horses to school, Peters was a firm advocate of the discipline.
While he didn’t commit to raising it directly with Brown, Peters told the Herald he wanted cross-party support on the issue.
Adam Pearse is a political reporter in the NZ Herald Press Gallery team, based at Parliament. He has worked for NZME since 2018, covering sport and health for the Northern Advocate in Whangārei before moving to the NZ Herald in Auckland, covering Covid-19 and crime.
