I generally argue for progressive ideas. I support environmentalism and social welfare. I do not like some National policies and I am not impressed by some National ministers. One minister I am particularly unimpressed with is Nick Smith. I don't think he is especially competent and I don't think he does a very good job.
Having said that, there is absolutely no justification whatsoever for the way he (and apparently his family) were treated in Nelson by a couple of fanatical morons protesting pest control poison drops. There seems to be a hard-core group of people opposing the poisonings who have lost all sense of self-control and think their cause entitles them to do anything they like, however extreme and over the top. Someone even rubbed rat poison into the minister's face!
I believe in civil disobedience as a legitimate form of protest but this kind of outrageous crap has nothing to do with that and it certainly does nothing to help the cause being being demonstrated over. I find it disgusting and despicable. This is not how one human being behaves towards another. Civil disobedience is passive and non-violent. This is assault. Nick Smith and his family deserve a fulsome apology. The self-important creeps who think they are entitled to do this kind of thing belong in jail and I hope that's where they end up. This is not protest. It is hooliganism and it doesn't have a place in New Zealand society.