Retiring Taranaki MP Shane Ardern has been reminiscing about his time in Parliament and is particularly proud of his tractor protest.
In 2003 he drove his farm tractor down the steps of Parliament, and he says he would do it all over.
His action was dangerous and illegal. It wasalso a brilliant stunt and was a big help in seeing off a tax on ruminant emissions - the fart tax. It also shows that it's not just the left, or liberals, that protest. The "enough is enough" protest led by Destiny Church against civil unions in 2004 and the Kiwis Care march of the 1980s organised by Tania Harris also show all kinds of New Zealanders have got off their chuffs to bring about change.
However, the grand age of public protest, at least in the west, may be passing. Sheer numbers have been replaced by daring action.
Protest often has to be theatre to make people look. The actions of Greenpeace over Arctic drilling by a Russian oil rig are testament to that. Russia's own avant garde protesters, Pussy Riot, have demonstrated the power of publicity. So they have been banged up in a manner in keeping with the Russian leadership's fear of dissent.
In Russia, as in New Zealand, the right to protest has got to be protected. It is a vital part of life and democracy. We can't pick and choose good and bad protest. The rights of those protesting against offshore oil exploration - including near vessels - are just as important as the rights of those trying to stop whaling in the Southern Ocean - including near vessels.
History has shown that those who put themselves on the line often end up on the right side of the ledger. Mr Ardern wouldn't disagree with that.
