New Zealand / Country

Sheep heading to Parliament for Waiheke petition

19:08 pm on 4 August 2019

A Waiheke local is making her way to Parliament with her pet sheep to deliver a petition against the construction of a marina.

Multi the sheep will be travelling by ferry and car with her owner to deliver a petition against the construction of a marina on Waiheke Island. Photo: Supplied

Sue Pawley uses crutches to walk but she is determined to make the 700km trip with her pet, Multi.

The pair will be travelling by ferry and car to deliver the petition on 7 August.

Ms Pawley is part of community group Save Kennedy Point, who are asking for a re-hearing on the marina application which was granted by the Environment Court last May.

The development would take up more than 7ha of public space in Putiki Bay - including a floating car park.

Multi the sheep will be travelling by ferry and car with her owner to deliver a petition against the construction of a marina on Waiheke Island. Photo: Supplied

Nearly 10,000 people have signed the petition so far, and Ms Pawley says Multi has played a huge part in that.

"Multi's gained probably two-thirds of the signatures," she said.

"If you had a doddering, old lady wandering around on a couple of walking sticks at the market, once a week, you're not going to get a lot of signatures.

"But Multi wandering around with me ... it draws the people in."

Ms Pawley said it was only right that the sheep make the journey with her to parliament as well.

National MP Nikki Kaye will receive the petition and then present it to Parliament.

Render of the proposed Kennedy Point Marina. Photo: Kennedy Point Marina