Waipuna Hospice's latest fundraising efforts sure did turn a few heads in and around Tauranga today.

The hospice celebrated the shortest day of the year with its special fundraiser Shorts 4 Waipuna which aimed to highlight that life is short – and for some people it is shorter than others.

Michelle and Todd Muller ready for their solstice today.

Bay of Plenty MP Todd Muller flaunted his summer boardies at meetings around town today.

'I went to see the mayor, shocked the council staff with my knobbly knees and followed that up with a series of meetings in my office at Papamoa. So if you are going to wear them you have to wear them for the whole day,” says Todd.

'I was on the lookout for anybody else wearing them and it's fair to say they we are few and far between.

'It's for a great cause, so I thought I would donate my money and wear the shorts. I thinks it's a great concept for the shortest day and to raise the profile for a fantastic community resource and organisation. I have a lot of time for what they do.

'They are special people in a special place in my view.”

No one offered to pay him double to keep his long trousers on, but he may consider the option next winter.

Todd didn't seen anyone covering their eyes or turning way, but he did spy a few people doing a bit of a double take.

'I was pleasantly surprised at the feedback from Simon Bridges who saw me. He said: ‘Look mate. I've seen worse – and I've seen better'. I think I'll take that.”

And because it is the shortest day, he's wearing his summer boardies less than any other day of the year.

The solstice was at 10.34am today when the sun reached its furthest point north of the equator.

In Tauranga sunrise was at 7.30am, and sunset at 5.04pm cloud aside the least amount of daylight.

In Auckland, this equates to just nine hours, 37 minutes and 58 seconds, and in Invercargill, just eight hours, 35 minutes and 5 seconds worth of daylight.

For more information visit: waipuna-hospice.co.nz/pages/shorts4waipuna