Alistair Boyce: Backbencher pub owner ahead of the Hīkoi descending on Parliament

Flags are already waving and music playing at Parliament ahead of the Hīkoi mō te Tiriti arriving there later today.  

Hīkoi participants are gathering at Waitangi Park in Wellington City, from which they’ll move along the Golden Mile to Parliament, bringing widespread traffic disruption. 

Alistair Boyce, who runs the Backbencher pub across from Parliament, told Ryan Bridge that Police checkpoints were already in place when he arrived for work at around 5:30am. 

He says that the Hīkoi should be an economic boon for the city. 

What Mayor Tory Whanau needs to do, Boyce says, is stop thinking about attending the protest and instead think about catering for the protest – keeping businesses functioning and the streets open. 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
So the HICCOI the protest happening in the capitol today
and already we've heard from our reporter there's chanting, there's
singing going on. Alistair Boyce is the back bench pub
owners with us live.

Speaker 2 (00:09):
Good morning, good morning, can you hear me?

Speaker 1 (00:11):
I've got you. Good to have you on the show.
Are you there? Can you see anything yet? And what
plans have you got for your business today?

Speaker 2 (00:19):
Yeah? I've arrived about twenty past five, had to come
through a police checkpoint. The area's already got some occupation.
There's a group of ten gang members at the base
of Kate ship and place waving flags, so it's all
well out of the way.

Speaker 1 (00:38):
What sort of gang members? What patches that happen?

Speaker 2 (00:41):
Mungle mob?

Speaker 1 (00:42):
What flags are they waving?

Speaker 2 (00:46):
It's Mary style flags and gang flags.

Speaker 1 (00:51):
Okay, how do you feel about that?

Speaker 2 (00:54):
My wife was a bit concerned, but I don't have
an issue with you. Well, you will remember I had
to endure the occupation protests for four weeks, so it's
not an unusual situation. And I was also here for
the original hackoys with for Sea Bed and for Shure.

Speaker 1 (01:15):
Do you are you your opening today? Right? You might
as to get more Absolutely, you might as to get
more business out of it.

Speaker 2 (01:20):
You reckon, Well, it should be a boon for Wellington.
What man needs to do is stop thinking about attending
the protest and think about catering for the protest, keeping
the street tape and keep business and functioning and treating
it like a stadium event, except in that parliament. So
it should be an economic boon for the city. And
if we approached it in that manner, I think everyone

(01:41):
would be a lot better off.

Speaker 1 (01:42):
All right, he's hoping, Alistair, Thanks so much for your
time this morning. Best to like Alistair Boyce back ben
Ship pub owner.

Speaker 2 (01:49):
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