“The conditions on the ships are pretty dire.” In the letter addressed to Jacinda Arden, which received several signatures on Saturday, it praises the Prime Minister for making the “bold and admirable decision to ban live export by sea”, but urges her to implement a “complete and immediate ban” of the practice, as “this would ensure that New Zealand remains a world leader in animal welfare”. Protest co-organiser Toni DeRooy said she was pleased with the turnout and the fact it had managed to co-ordinate protests across other parts of the country, including Christchurch, Auckland, Wellington and Dunedin. “We’re delighted with the amount of people who were here. We’re pleased the Government announced the ban, but we want them to implement it as soon as possible,” DeRooy said.