Question of the day. How come our Auckland-based Prime Minister seems to be more publicly supportive of retaining golf’s New Zealand Open at The Hills than either mayor Clive Geddes or Destination Queenstown boss Tony Everitt? According to the Otago Daily Times, Geddes doesn’t want to comment till “an official announcement had been made” – presumably that the tournament’s been lost to Christchurch – and nor does Everitt. Yet PM John Key happily tells Mountain Scene The Hills Open is “a great way to showcase NZ”.

Overheard in a Frankton eatery between principals attending a conference last Friday: “What a great day we had at Coronet!”

A comment on Queenstown made by a local the other day: “A great town – 20,000 people, 5000 egos.”

A Festival comment from Herald on Sunday gossip pages: “Which famous Queenstown eatery did [comedian] Jeremy Corbett and co dramatically up and leave from this week following a bust-up with a mouthy waitress with a bad attitude? Any ideas, folks?

Beloved Dr. Seuss children’s books have been put to a novel use by Queenstown’s new watering hole and eatery, Searle Lane and Social Bar. Vintage books by the world-famous author have been adapted to house the bar’s menu.

If frost is making your driveway a tad perilous, Mediterranean Market has the answer – 25kg bags of salt to dust the road or footpath. The sacks, which have been in-store for the past week, are selling for $22.99.