BRONZ press release - ACC levy consultation, and the motorcycle ACC levy

[jellywrestler]

Well that's one way of looking at it. Embrace the brighter future under National and all that.

I'd rather look at it a different way. A few years ago we took 8000 motorcycles to Parliament grounds and got a $200 backdown on levy increases.

Let's do it again. Bikoi II.

was there a $200 backdown or did their original pricing go on the briscoes 'we'll have a sale every three weekes' model???

[riffer]

was there a $200 backdown or did their original pricing go on the briscoes 'we'll have a sale every three weekes' model???

Well it's the perennial argument isn't it? Let me put it to you - do you really think they would have reduced the levy by $200 out of the goodness of their hearts if we hadn't have protested?

[GrayWolf]

Don't expect that all bikers are prepared to stand up for their rights Drogen Omen.

After all, over half the country already support those arseholes that brought in this mess in the first place.

As for the Bikoi having no affect on the levies, keep living in you dream world kinger.

Oh for god's sake, it's about time some of you realised the Bikoi reaction was all part of the political game...
I can almost guarantee the $200 'DISCOUNT' was already 'factored in',, part of any negotiations is to have things you will 'give away' and things you are prepared to 'negotiate' away... that 'drop ' was already BUILT IN, all that happened was we got it 'discounted' to the amount they intended all along.. and like all good political shaftings? the PLEBS went away feeling they had won something

[riffer]

Oh for god's sake, it's about time some of you realised the Bikoi reaction was all part of the political game...
I can almost guarantee the $200 'DISCOUNT' was already 'factored in',, part of any negotiations is to have things you will 'give away' and things you are prepared to 'negotiate' away... that 'drop ' was already BUILT IN, all that happened was we got it 'discounted' to the amount they intended all along.. and like all good political shaftings? the PLEBS went away feeling they had won something

As we so famously said on Parliament grounds... bullshit. They would NEVER have reduced the amount out of the goodness of their hearts. Granted, they had it as a backup plan if the shit hit the fan, but my point remains. They would not have done anything if we said nothing.

Are you prepared to test your theory again?

[caseye]

Oh for god's sake, it's about time some of you realised the Bikoi reaction was all part of the political game...
I can almost guarantee the $200 'DISCOUNT' was already 'factored in',, part of any negotiations is to have things you will 'give away' and things you are prepared to 'negotiate' away... that 'drop ' was already BUILT IN, all that happened was we got it 'discounted' to the amount they intended all along.. and like all good political shaftings? the PLEBS went away feeling they had won something

So simple, but so true, well said mate.
Back in the day no one wanted to make too much of a song and dance in case we bikers upset the ordinary motorists.
We did get shafted and we rolled over and took it!
Another bikoi? Na.
A number of large groups of bikes at strategic political targets making a legal nuisance of themselves, Oh yeah.Repeatedly and within the law but pissing off the pollies and the ACC types, no one else initially at least.
Escalating action until govt agrees to sit down and talk!
That is the only thing politicians do understand,disruption, division and being conquered, hell we should know how it works they've done it to us already.

[riffer]

I like the way you're talking there Caseye.

[jellywrestler]

Well it's the perennial argument isn't it? Let me put it to you - do you really think they would have reduced the levy by $200 out of the goodness of their hearts if we hadn't have protested?

no I don't, but after that it seemed to have lost it's drive, where were the 300000 people in new zealand ride motorcycles; and vote stickers pre election???? where were the individual policy statements from each and every candidate on this and only this subject???
wasn't that a good opportunity to twist the knife a bit harder????

[mashman]

bwaaaaaaa ha ha ha ha ha ha ha haaaaaaa... National = vote Winning. Onya for the response BRONZ, but until they start treating a road user as a road user, I fail to see that anything will change. We've accepted a tiered system of risk based assessment for motorcycle on top of a vehicle tiered risk based system and short of arresting that attitude, forget it. I for one won't be happy with anything other than being treated as a road user and paying exactly the same as any other vehicle on the road.

It's nothing more than the money goround and I bet they were smiling their arses off when they came up with this latest little ditty.

After all, over half the country already support those arseholes that brought in this mess in the first place.

Not correct. Over half of those who voted maybe, but half of the country, no.

[kinger]

I like the way you're talking there Caseye.

.......but not the way I did Riffer? despite us both believing the levy let off was preordained, and that mass protest would be ineffective.
Jeez, glad you have a point of view you're willing to stand by.

If I was a true biker (a la Drogen Omen), I'd be popping my waistcoat off, draping it round my ape hangers, and giving you one of them "We're not worthy" arms up waves.
Thanks BRONZ, for letting this be our voice.

[kiwi cowboy]

Oh for god's sake, it's about time some of you realised the Bikoi reaction was all part of the political game...
I can almost guarantee the $200 'DISCOUNT' was already 'factored in',, part of any negotiations is to have things you will 'give away' and things you are prepared to 'negotiate' away... that 'drop ' was already BUILT IN, all that happened was we got it 'discounted' to the amount they intended all along.. and like all good political shaftings? the PLEBS went away feeling they had won something

I said exactly this about the recent fishing quota cuts proposed.
They said cut to three from 9 wasn't it but they really only wanted it cut to 7 so when every one was up in arms they said ok we will come to the party and only drop it to 7 and then the fishers say to themselves ok still not really happy but its a win really considering they wanted to drop to 3 and the pollies smile knowing they have played the fishers cos 7 is what they wanted all along.

[kiwi cowboy]

Well it's the perennial argument isn't it? Let me put it to you - do you really think they would have reduced the levy by $200 out of the goodness of their hearts if we hadn't have protested?

No they wouldn't of but as has been suggested it part of there game.
Say there going to hike it by a shit load more and expect a protest and then back down too a preordained level so the protesters think they have had a win.
Of course they hope for no response then they can really screw the plebs

[caseye]

Riff, I know how much BRONZ would love to put it right up the govt, but can't due to their constitutional red tape re protests and legality.
I'm still a member of BRONZ, always have been. I know how much work they've put in behind the scenes over the past 30 or more years. As motorcyclists we owe a big debt to BRONZ, but when it came to Bikoi and accepting the govts already determined numbers they were powerless.
Individually I am too, but if enough of us actually got off our arses, rode to events where there was going to be escalation in terms of how big, how many and actions taken, then we'd get some traction.
Local ministers would want to talk with us and once the ball is rolling govt would have too.
We took our collective foot off their throat re Bikoi, we should have done it again Sam, a week later and promised more of the same, bet the result would have been different.
Having said what I have, I want to acknowledge all of those who did manage to mobilize many thousands of bikers for their genuine honest hard work in making it happen.
Love ya STONEY, no matter what else is said no one can take away the efforts of this guy and his fellow organisers not forgetting the local area types from motorcycle clubs and organisations all over the country who got out and stirred until people came.

[Madness]

noooo... Infact, i just stopped giving them money, and started taking theirs. Win win.

Isn't that just a side-effect of your bike shitting itself, rather than being a political statement?

[kinger]

I came. I felt I had to be there in order to have a point of view, hence I feel free to contribute here.
I'll sit back and watch now though, I think I've said my bit.

[cheshirecat]

All legal action is good, but rather than protest just about our levies and loose sympathy from other road users we could take up the cause for all road uses and those hard done by the ACC/National and utilise the motorcycles advantages. This way our own cause would be highlighted by default and we'd have the support of many groups -truckies, self employed, small companies, health workers, AA, students, cyclists even, now they have a powerful lobby group- even the police rank and file maybe. Have I missed anyone out? All these groups will give us inside information we can use - etc etc

Also it means we utilise the fact we are a bunch of independent thinkers and action types to be just that -ourselves.

So if we are going to have bikios large and/or small, we can target/ lobby the ACC chief managers (their large pay packets and subsidies) and MP's, set up international websites and get international attention, target individuals pro our high ACC levies etc et.

Also time protests to coincide with Int events happening in NZ for max int exposure.

Anyway just my 2Cts