The Daily Yarn
WEDNESDAY, 27 MAY 2026 · National Edition · Aotearoa's Most Reliable Unreliable News
Community Quirks

GLADSTONE LABRADOR ATTENDS MORE COMMITTEE MEETINGS THAN HIS OWNER, NOW ON THREE SUB-COMMITTEES

Murray the dog has a better attendance record than half the council. His owner hasn't shown since June.

A Gladstone labrador named Murray has attended every meeting of the Gladstone Residents' Association since April, including two AGMs, a sub-committee on stormwater, and a working group nobody else turned up to.

His owner, Lance Petersen of Ettrick Street, has attended none of them. Lance told The Daily Yarn he'd been meaning to go but the meetings clash with his shed time. "Murray likes a sit-down and a bickie. I don't. Works out, ay."

Association chair Beverley Thwaites confirmed Murray was now listed as a full voting member on the minutes, mostly because nobody had the heart to say otherwise. "He's reliable. He's quiet. He doesn't bang on about the verge like Trevor does. Last month we voted him onto the hall hire sub-committee. Unanimous."

Murray's contributions have included sitting under the urn, accepting one shortbread per agenda item, and once standing up during a discussion about dog bylaws, which the minutes recorded as "a strong intervention".

Lance said he might come to the November meeting if it wasn't too cold. Beverley said not to bother — Murray had it covered, and frankly the bloody dog was better company.
Report / Takedown
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