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In formally asking mayor Clive Geddes and council boss Duncan Field for a special meeting of Queenstown Lakes District Council (MS July 16), councillor Vanessa van Uden’s attitude was a breath of fresh air.
It appears “cowboy politics” are alive and well here, with transparency and accountability in deep storage, so Van Uden’s approach should be applauded and supported by the community.
Her straightforward communication with constituents and her plain talking should be a model for a more transparent way for QLDC to do business in future.
Like Van Uden, I’m peeved at council staff recommending a shutout of public and media at this special meeting. It’s another example of the closed-door politics that have become so common here.
And when mayor Geddes was asked to reveal Field’s bonus recently, he stated he was uncertain whether the council boss’s contract permits him to do so.
If so, the situation is intolerable. It’s hard to believe QLDC could be so arrogant as to hide the
remuneration package of its most senior employee from the public, who both elect the council and pay Field’s salary.
Anywhere else, this would not only be considered unethical but would provoke a public outcry.
Rumour has it Field’s package approaches $300,000 per annum. For a town of 18,000, that’s a lot of money – especially when you consider the multiple layers of bureauracy and quangos we, the ratepayers, support.
Back in 2008 the Chief Ombudsman named QLDC in her annual report to Parliament over the number of complaints against it. This should tell ratepayers something about the council we’ve elected.
I’d have thought Field’s bonus was based on performance targets but maybe QLDC has far lower standards than those of us charged with the responsibility of electing councillors.
DUANE JONES
Kelvin Heights (Abridged)
Speaking up for dove lady
I write in support of Sally Kelly, wife of Kawarau Jet director Shaun Kelly, in response to last week’s jetboating story.
Before I knew Sally, I used to call her “the bird lady”. From my home, I could see her with bags of bread feeding the ducks so I approached her and got to know her. She’s one of the kindest, most genuine and giving persons you could ever meet.
Sally started with a couple of doves, for which she built a shelter, and fiercely protected them from a local hawk. But the number of doves grew so much – through good care, obviously – that she had to find another home for some of them.
A long time ago, she told me the Zoological Gardens would be perfect because she could go and see them again.
To find her motives now questioned in last week’s story is absolutely despicable. This is attacking the private life of one of the most caring members of our community.
Sally Kelly, as many people in Queenstown will testify, should be described as a role model for our community, someone who helps, comforts and cares for people – and doves – in need.
MARTINE ALARCON-PERFECT
Frankton
Buy my land, church told
My partners and I own a 3.5ha site opposite Millbrook – which would be ideal for a school.
I’ve offered it to the Catholic Church but have been told they’ll pursue the Speargrass Flat option as they’re “already a long way down the track”.
Our land has a valuation of $2 million. I understand the church’s land is worth considerably more. If they sold theirs as residential, they’d benefit considerably on the difference.
From an environmental point of view alone, the Speargrass Flat proposal is madness. It’ll require all pupils to be transported there and back each day. And it’s completely at odds with what Queenstown Lakes District Council’s Mark Rushworth reportedly said last week – that development should be concentrated in areas in a way that allows easy access.
Our site is within the new real boundaries of Arrowtown. It’s arguably the only site within Arrowtown big enough for a school and wouldn’t require existing boundaries to be expanded onto surrounding rural land.
Our land would allow all Arrowtown pupils to walk to school. In fact, it goes right to the corner of what used to be the town entrance.
Also, a school within Arrowtown’s boundaries would enable fuller use of school facilities by the wider community.
Our option would require no ratepayer input and allow the Catholic Church to be far more community-spirited.
JEFF DICKIE
Dunedin
We have to save our hospital
Regarding Mountain Scene’s story last week, I wish to express my grave concern over the possibility of our public hospital being sold for redevelopment.
I’m a Queenstown resident of nearly 40 years, during which time my family and I have had need of hospital treatment on several occasions.
When a new hospital for Queenstown was mooted over 20 years ago, there was considerable local fundraising to help with the building and fitout. The government of the day funded the majority of the costs.
This surely makes Lakes District Hospital totally owned by the taxpayers of New Zealand, and therefore not owned by Southland District Health Board – which appears to be running down all services at LDH and starving it of proper funding to maintain, upgrade and improve services to the people of the Wakatipu and those who visit here.
Queenstown is one of the fastest-growing areas in the country, with a rapidly rising resident population. Visitor numbers are also constantly increasing – about 1.5 million last year alone. Is there anywhere else in this country catering to this number of people that doesn’t have a well-maintained and serviced local public hospital?
It’s difficult to imagine the consequences of having no public hospital serving Queenstown.
Any emergencies requiring hospital treatment currently entail a trip of over two hours to Southland Hospital in Invercargill – often a dangerous trip in winter – or a helicopter dash to Dunedin.
Even the mooted possibility raised in last week’s article of being ambulanced to Dunstan Hospital in Clyde is a trip of more than an hour through the treacherous Kawarau Gorge, sometimes with cellphone dead spots.
Plans for a small private day hospital have been aired recently. This would most definitely not provide an adequate service.
We require 24-hour emergency services, manned by full-time emergency doctors. Anything less is just not good enough for the people who live here and those millions of visitors who will be visiting in the near future.
JILLIAN TREMAIN
Dalefield
POSTED - Your comments this week
Glenorchy bankrupt
K. Waitere says:
Knowledge is power and so is operating a business in an isolated area.
The Glenorchy Holiday Park/General Store and Information Centre is one business Tim Brownie has been running and he has the power to raise prices eg 50c bags of lollies put up to a $1 with no more lollies added, not a popular move with parents or kiddies hence the lolly bags are no longer sold.
Now the cheapest item would be a box of matches, with milk $6 and frozen bread $4.50.
There’s been quiet concern expressed in the community regarding this bankrupt.
So the light at the end of the tunnel comes thru the power of knowledge – knowledge for locals of Glenorchy & also for those owed a great deal of money by this Christchurch personality, Tim Brownie.
I would like to think this matter is being investigated by the Insolvency people & that they learn to hold hands with the Registrar of Companies.
Shocked N Horrified says:
Oh my God – thank you for allowing this truth to come to light. I pray the church involved recovers its losses. Bless the unfortunate people involved with this. Please give individuals the courage to speak up. Help Tim Brownie see the error of his ways. Amen.
Alison Mitchell says:
Just following up on your article (MS July 30) regarding the lady who landed a mussel while fishing in Lake Wakatipu – our five-year-old grandson and we, his grandparents, were trolling off our boat on Lake Te Anau late last year when we hooked a mussel too.
Although we were surprised, at the time we thought it was probably common – until we read your article.
Sjammy says:
The school at Speargrass Flat has priority – it is a simple case of Buyer Beware. Residents should have done their homework properly! Long live the school!
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