The march was met by a small group of counter-protesters from Pōneke Anti-Fascist Coalition.
About 600 protesters had gathered at Civic Square before setting off, RNZ reporters on the scene said.
The “Abandon Agenda 2030″ protest is taking aim at a raft of issues, including 15-minute cities, women’s rights, sexuality and freedom of speech.
There is an extra police presence in the capital, roads have been closed and bus routes diverted with police saying officers were "prepared and on alert" and would be "highly visible across Wellington city".
The protest has been organised by a diverse range of groups including Brian Tamaki's Freedom Rights Coalition, the Convoy Coalition and Stop Co-Governance.
“I’ve worked hard all my life and now I’ve seen the New Zealand that I grew up in no longer exist. This is a different New Zealand, a dangerous one.”
The protest kicked off about 10am, and included convoys of participants from the Far North and from the South Island. Members of Convoy Coalition and Stop Co-Governance are also taking part.
An RNZ reporter on the scene says they spoke to a few Wellingtonians on the way who say it’s disrupted business for them today and have been on high alert.
So far from what RNZ reporters have seen it’s been mainly peaceful and they haven’t seen any signs of aggression like last year's lengthy protest at Parliament.
Several people addressed the crowd at Civic Square earlier, including Tamaki, his wife Hannah, and Julian Batchelor from the Stop Co-Governance movement.
He listed multiple things he said were “under attack”, including women’s rights, sexuality and freedom of speech. He listed other issues such as homelessness and the cost of living.
Hannah Tamaki said men were "trying to take women's rights away".
Batchelor said: “We are supposed to be one people, Māori and Pakeha together, not separate.”
Police earlier were preparing by closing roads, having tow trucks on standby, and bringing in a special team of 88 public order policing officers from around the country.
There are also bollards set up at the gates of Parliament.
Acting Superintendent Wade Jennings said he expected there to be at least 120 to 130 police in Wellington during the day.
Speaking to Sean Plunket on The Platform earlier today, Hannah Tamaki said the protest would be peaceful and she had no plans of occupying Parliament.
“I want to sleep in a warm bed tonight thank you very much.”
Questioned on what the protest was about, Tamaki said that people “want change”.
“We want change, we’re fed up – not everyone because there’s a lot of woke people."
“For those coming to march and protest at Parliament, we respect people’s right to demonstrate peacefully in support of their cause, but we are prepared to take enforcement action if it stops being peaceful.
“We will have a very low tolerance for any structures being set up on the grounds, and we do have the ability to mobilise additional staff quickly if required. Tow trucks will be on standby in the city.”
He also asked the public to be their eyes and ears, particularly on Lambton Quay, during the march.
“We will likely want to see any video footage of unlawful activity, and people can report this through 105. But we are also asking that people don’t intervene or compromise their own safety.”
Jennings also said he had a message for protesters.
“Welcome to Wellington. Please park your car legally. Enjoy your walk to Parliament through our city. Enjoy your [time] on Parliament grounds. Have your say, have your voices heard. Leave Parliament and have a safe journey home.”
Who is protesting?
The Freedoms and Rights Coalition led by Destiny Church founder and political hopeful Brian Tamaki is a “people’s movement” which formed in 2021 in opposition to the Government’s Covid-19 vaccine mandates and restrictions.
The group participated in the 2022 occupation of Parliament which ended in a fiery clash with police as they were forcibly removed.
The group has held several other protests since, including a “People’s Court” on Parliament grounds in August 2022.
With Covid-19 restrictions now lifted, the group has pivoted to opposing “reckless” Government spending, standing up for religious rights and resisting what it says is Government intervention in family life.
The Drive 4 Change event will be travelling north on State Highway 1 from Timaru to Christchurch over the weekend, and through to Wellington on Thursday as part of participants’ drive all the way to Auckland.
A spokesperson said the protest is not one of the groups heading to Parliament and will be bypassing Wellington city.
What are they protesting?
However, Thursday’s protest is not to do with Covid-19 but rather the United Nations.
The name of the protest “Abandon Agenda 2023″ is a reference to the national conference Agenda 2030, which looks at New Zealand’s progress on the UN’s 17 sustainable development goals. One of the keynote speakers for the conference is former director-general of health Dr Ashley Bloomfield.
The goals are not written into legislation, but are voluntarily reported by the countries which have signed up. They include things like ending poverty, promoting peace and ensuring people are leading healthy lives.
The conference was scheduled at Parliament for Thursday but has now been moved online as a result of safety concerns due to the protest.
