Wellington protest hinders access for disability community and elderly

For 12 days, the number of protesters at Parliament has grown. Photo / George Heard

There are concerns the anti-mandate protest at Parliament is making access issues even worse for disabled people in Wellington.

Disability advocate Nick Ruane told the Herald that prior to the protest getting around the city in terms of footpaths and streets was difficult for disabled people, but the protest, which occupies roads and walkways, had made the situation "even more difficult".

"At the moment, members of our disability community, our elderly, are having a real challenging time trying to even just get around our city and that's quite tough."

Ruane said one situation that comes to mind was a public transport access petition, presented by disability groups last week, which was hindered to the point of making it "very very" difficult for members of the disability community to actually get into Parliament.

"The people that went in to present that petition had all sorts of difficulties trying to access the Parliament and then trying to get into the Parliament.

"Our city should be for everybody, and I think at the moment it's been made even more difficult, and even more challenging particularly for disabled people, for our elderly people."

He told the Herald everyone should have the right to protest, but we need to think about vulnerable people.

As well as this, there have been multiple reports from the public of anti-social behaviour by protesters, including abusing passersby - among them children - for wearing masks, and surrounding streets and buildings have been overtaken by tents, campervans and cars.

A Herald reporter at the protest today said the atmosphere had changed significantly from a week ago, with more families and children onsite, along with Wellington residents who don't support the protest but came to look.

Wellington Mayor Andy Foster and leaders from the city's business community have written to Finance Minister Grant Robertson and Small Business Minister Stuart Nash requesting urgent financial support as the Parliament protests roll through their second week.

"The pandemic is having a really significant impact on Wellington businesses, some which are now on the brink of closure," Foster said.

"This is a result of two years of Covid restrictions, lockdowns, the current red-light settings, working from home, and public nervousness."

Foot traffic and spending in the central city was down 20 to 30 per cent since the end of last year.

"Today business and council are together calling on Government to help and support our businesses and their staff, so that jobs are not lost at what - we hope - is the final hurdle."