Petition for later summer holidays to be presented to Parliament

United Future leader Peter Dunne has launched a petition to have summer moved. Photograph: Paul Taylor

New Zealand's fight for a better summer holiday is going all the way to the Beehive.

Frustrated by less-than-summery conditions, United Future leader Peter Dunne has launched a campaign calling for the start of the holidays to move to February.

Dunne, who successfully campaigned for an extension to daylight savings, has created an online petition to gauge public interest in later holidays.

He plans to present the "Secure a Real Kiwi Summer" petition to Parliament.

"Our weather patterns are changing and we are increasingly seeing our dreams of a sunny BBQ at a beach turn into keeping the kids at home while weather bombs explode around the country," Dunne said.

"Then, come February when the sun comes out, we all send the kids back to school, to hot and stuffy classrooms.

"That is not the kind of Kiwi summer I think most of us want to see."

He said a change was possible, as proven by the 2007 extension to daylight savings to start at the end of September and last until the beginning of April.

It would not require a law change, but the Government would need to work with schools, businesses and public sector agencies ahead of any change.

Dunne said he was "calling on New Zealanders from North Cape to the Bluff" to give their views "so we can then have a proper look at ensuring we can all enjoy a real Kiwi summer".

The MetService said temperatures in Auckland have been 1C lower than last summer. Wellington and Christchurch have also been colder than usual.

The colder, more chaotic conditions have hampered or forced the cancellation of a number of outdoor music and cultural events.