New chamber chair
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Laws’ shock announcement
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Nasa balloons back THUR 28.04.22 - WED 04.05.22
EDITION 1076
PHOTO: Nasa
A NASA super pressure balloon is prepared for a flight from Wānaka in 2015.
he North America Space Agency plans to continue its scientific balloon programme in Wānaka with a release early next month. It will be the fourth Super Pressure Balloon (SPB) test from Wānaka Airport since the programme began seven years ago. “For certain types of science, we can achieve the same results on a balloon that could only otherwise be achieved by flying into space on a rocket,” Debbie Fairbrother, chief of NASA’s Balloon Program Office said. The balloon is helium-filled and about the size of the Forsyth Barr Stadium when inflated at its operational float altitude of 110,000 feet (33.5 kilometres).
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The SPB is a 532,000 cubic metre pressurised flight vehicle designed to float at a constant density altitude despite the heating and cooling of the day-night cycle. This pressurisation, coupled with the stratospheric conditions in the southern hemisphere, enables long-duration flights. Wānaka is NASA’s dedicated launch site for mid-latitude, long-duration balloon missions. “We are on the cusp of perfecting our SPB balloon technology, which is poised to expand opportunities for all sorts of science and technology missions by providing relatively lowcost, near-space access for long-duration flight times at mid-latitudes,” said Fairbrother. “Certifying the balloon as a long-duration flight vehicle is key to supporting bigger and
more complex science missions in the future.” NASA last launched from Wānaka in 2017. The team travelled to New Zealand in 2020 to prepare for an SPB flight but it cancelled the campaign due to Covid. The science and engineering communities have identified long-duration balloon flights as playing an important role in providing inexpensive access to the near-space environment for science and technology. After this year’s flight, the team plans to return to Wānaka in 2023 for two super pressure balloon flights, each with its own dedicated science mission of opportunity. NASA conducts SPB launches from Wānaka in collaboration with the Queenstown Airport
Corporation, Queenstown Lake District Council, and Airways New Zealand. Alongside the New Zealand campaign, NASA’s programme includes preparing for three balloon launches from Sweden, flying science missions using NASA’s workhorse zeropressure balloons. NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia manages the agency’s scientific balloon flight programmes with 10 to 15 flights each year. Peraton, which operates NASA’s Columbia Scientific Balloon Facility in Texas, provides mission planning, engineering services, and field operations for the programme and the facility has launched more than 1700 scientific balloons in the last 40 years.
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CAMERA CLUB ‘IN FOCUS’ Members of the Wānaka Camera Club held an autumn colours workshop over Anzac Weekend. Club president Rob Norman provided this selection of his work in the latest series of photographs by club members.
The old schoolhouse.
Autumn leaves.
Trees with soft focus.
Hawea river.
A panorama of the Arrowtown basin.
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Multiple exposures of a tree. THURSDAY 28.04.22 - WEDNESDAY 04.05.22
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Retirement village plan unveiled
The national boom in the construction of retirement villages could see a $200 million complex built in Wānaka. A proposal to build about 120 independent villas and 17 apartments could create 140 jobs in the construction industry, Metlifecare’s Head of Development, Matt Wickham says. The company – which operates 32 villages in the North Island staffed by almost 1700 workers and catering for 6500 people - has bought a 5.42-hectare site for a village which will be part of the Three Parks development. Three Parks covers 100 hectares between SH84 and Ballantyne Rd and is already home to a Mega Mitre 10, kura, New World supermarket and recreation centre. “We are committed to ensuring our village will be a valuable and proud part of the Wānaka community,” Metlifecare’s Chief Executive Officer, Earl Gasparich said. “We’ve secured a fantastic site which boasts 360-degree mountain views, along with a very central location that’s handy to all the town’s amenities. It ticks all the boxes for a premium retirement living destination.” Mr Gasparich added the new village would help meet the needs of senior New Zealanders in one of the country’s fastest-growing regions. “Wānaka is a highly desirable area to retire due to its picture-perfect scenery and access to some of the best outdoor and alpine activities that New Zealand has to offer. We know this will appeal to both local retirees, and those from the wider Otago region, who enjoy an active lifestyle and the great outdoors.” Matt Wickham said the design of the village would reflect Wānaka’s natural landscape. “With large-scale development projects
The site of the proposed Metlifecare village.
comes multiple opportunities for local businesses and workers. Once underway, we’ll be looking to engage workforces from right across the development sector. Once complete and fully operational, the village and care home will employ around 50 people, from village managers and nurses, to kitchen staff and gardeners.”
Cold case numbers Southern District Health Board says just 24 of the 1576 people given an ineffective Covid vaccination were from Wānaka. The figure was presented in response to questions about how the board advertised the vaccine issue after it sent the Sun a media release asking editors to help
publicise details. No adverts were placed in the Wānaka Sun “Advertising was not taken out with the Wānaka Sun because 24 of the 1576 people identified as being affected by the cold chain failure were identified as residing in the Wānaka area,” an SDHB spokesperson said.
The proposed village will include a residential care facility. Three Parks developer Allan Dippie, who sold the site to Metlifecare, is pleased with the outcome. “It’s actually the first residential development for Three Parks which until now has been focusing on commercial, retail, recreational and educational initiatives. The Sun reported last week that 151 people 10 per cent – of those given the ineffective jab in Queenstown Lakes had still to be contacted. The board revealed in early March a batch of Pfizer vaccines were compromised by a failure by vaccination provider Engage Safety to keep them at the correct temperature. Of those contacted, 100 had declined to have another jab. Southern District Health Board said 1571 injections being given mainly to Queenstown-
“It’s a very exciting project for Wānaka and this announcement will be followed by more significant projects within Three Parks to be announced over the next few months. If resource consent is granted work is expected to start late next year and the first stage of the development is anticipated to be open for the residents in 2025. Lakes and Central Otago residents might not be fully effective. The cold case jabs were given from December 1 to January 28. There is no risk of harm to people who received a vaccine stored at an incorrect temperature, but the vaccine is not considered to be potent enough to provide a reliable level of immunity. This issue is the subject of an independent review by a team of three under the auspices of auditing agency DAA Group.
What’s on
The Wānaka Community Board represents Upper Clutha when plans for the district are made and rates are set.
YOUR MIND
Drop into the Wānaka Recreation Centre between noon and 1pm on Wednesday 4 May and let us know what is important to you.
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Laws quits deputy role
Michael Laws has resigned as deputy chair of the Otago Regional Council – saying he “won’t defend the indefensible”. He said he had written to chairman Andrew Noone and colleagues to announce he was stepping down “so that I can better advocate for my Dunstan constituents during the forthcoming annual plan deliberations”. He opposes the council’s plan to take an extra $7.2 million in rates. Laws told the Wānaka Sun he will stand again at this year’s local body elections. “The next three years is going to be the most important in Otago's local body history,” he predicted. “Not only local government reorganisation, but dealing with Three Waters and all the associated fall-out, resource management reform, as well as the implementation of new national standards for water, coast and air.” He said campaigning for local rates moderation would also be crucial. The present rates plan he opposes is up for public consultation through to May 6. The council says its 2022-23 plan “closely reflects” a Long-term Plan that was consulted and adopted last year, in which an 18 per cent ($7.2 million) general rates rise was forecast. A media release from the council earlier this month said: “we’re very aware that it has become tougher financially for many households and businesses”. “The 18 per cent rates rise would mean
most of our urban households, which make up 80 percent of our ratepayers, would pay an extra $30 to $70 per year. “So, we need to know from our community if the planned rates rise is affordable. And if people aren’t happy, what would we change?” The council puts 60 per cent of its rate take into the transport and environment budget. “As deputy chair, you are expected to promote the council’s plans even when you fundamentally disagree with them,” Laws said. “This year’s draft annual plan – with its 18 per cent rates rise and $190 an hour consenting charges - is a step too far. “I opposed the consultation document going out last month. I was unhappy that in the midst of a cost-of-living crisis, that the ORC were adding to the crisis,” he said. “At that point, the proper thing to do is for me to step aside and advocate both publicly and politically for significant change. I won’t defend the indefensible.” He had the “utmost respect” for regional council chair Andrew Noone saying he had done “an amazing job in extraordinarily difficult times”. “But I need to advocate strongly and challenge the assumptions underlying the plan. I can’t do that properly as deputy. Hence, this decision.” The council elects its chair and deputy from ward councillors. It is served by five Dunedin ward councillors – the sixth seat is vacant
Michael Laws
following the resignation for former chair Marian Hobbs last November – two Molyneaux, three Dunstan and one Moeraki representative. The Dunstan ward covers Queenstown Lakes. Cromwell based Laws was elected to the Dunstan ward in 2019 and has served for almost 30 years variously as a city and regional councillor, member of parliament, mayor of Whanganui and a health board representative. A new deputy chairman is expected to be elected at the May 25 meeting of the regional council.
Wellbeing workshop announced The first Wānaka GoodYarn Mental Wellbeing workshop will be held on May 13. The Southern Wellbeing Trust and Community Networks/Link are inviting people to the free, three-hour workshop which has 15 places available. It is designed to help people to improve their understanding of mental health and learn practical skills, including how to talk about mental health and how to better support people. It will also provide tips and information to help support their own and others mental health and wellbeing. This workshop is peer delivered and has been adapted to suit people working with community groups, vulnerable individuals or people with an interest in supporting the mental wellbeing of the Wānaka community, the trust says. Award-winning GoodYarn workshops are already being delivered to groups across the Queenstown community. "The Trust has been running the GoodYarn Mental Wellbeing workshops in the Queenstown region for over a year now with success in bringing the community together and supporting people to learn about mental health and know how to better support those around
Anna Dorsey
them who might be struggling," Anna Dorsey, General Manager Southern Wellbeing Trust said. "This first workshop in Wānaka is a chance for us to share this important peer to peer workshop with Wānaka residents and community members, and we are keen to get their feedback on how this project might support their people in the future. Our vision is to have future workshops in Wānaka targeting groups such as the business community, volunteers, new and expecting parents and families, migrants and any individuals that are needing this support." The workshop is subsidised by Community Networks Wānaka/ Link and will run from 11am to 2pm at the Wānaka Community Hub. Places are available by booking. For more details email workshops@ southernwellbeingtrust.org
The Council Word Ardmore Street closure
Something on your mind?
Work on the next stage to transform Wānaka’s lakefront is underway. To get the job done as quickly as possible, Ardmore St between McDougall and Dungarvon Streets is closed temporarily until September. Please follow the diversion along Brownston St and allow a few extra minutes for your journey. The town centre is open as usual and you can still access the lakefront on foot or by bike.
A problem shared is a problem halved and members of the Wānaka Community Board are on hand to hear any of your Councilrelated concerns, questions or requests at their monthly drop-in sessions. All welcome! Head to Wānaka Recreation Centre between 12.00-1.00pm on Wednesday 4 May for an informal chat and a cuppa.
Lismore Park (no parking!) A reminder that parking is not permitted on Lismore Park. To protect the ground from damage and keep it clear for park users, we’ll be installing temporary fencing and issuing infringements to any vehicles parked on the reserve from Monday 2 May.
Tree vandalism We’ve noticed a rise in trees being poisoned or deliberately damaged throughout the district. This is a serious matter and can be referred to the police. If you have any info about trees on Council land being vandalised or removed without authorisation please contact us: 03 443 0024 or services@qldc.govt.nz
Need some digital support? Your local libraries and tech-savvy Mt Aspiring College students have teamed up to offer one-on-one sessions to help you navigate your smartphone, tablet or computer. No bookings required. Head to Wānaka Library every Thursday between 4.00-5.30pm, or Hāwea Library every Tuesday between 11.00am-12.00pm.
Grants to help cut waste Got a clever idea that would make a real difference to the amount of waste generated in our district? Apply before 29 April for grants totalling $120,000 via QLDC’s annual Waste Minimisation Community Fund. For more info and advice on the type of projects that qualify visit qldc.govt.nz/wmcf
COVID-19 PRE DEPARTURE RAT TEST FOR INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL Wanaka Pharmacy are now providing a COVID-19 testing service for International Pre Departure RAT Tests and Supervised RAT Tests for Travel using government approved Rapid Antigen Assays. Call now to book your International Pre Departure RAT Test ensuring that your test is within 24 hours of your international flight.
Phone: 03 443 8000, Top of Helwick Street, Wānaka www.qldc.govt.nz THE WĀNAKA SUN
OPEN: MON-SAT 8AM TO 6PM • SUN 10AM TO 6PM THURSDAY 28.04.22 - WEDNESDAY 04.05.22
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Sun News / Farming
Anzac back
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A monthly column by Andrew Hoggard, President, Federated Farmers.
Consider agriculture says Hoggard
Ceremonies were curtailed around the country by Covid, and it still limited some observations on Monday – but Anzac Day continues to draw thousands, both young and old. There were early service in Wānaka and at Lake Hāwea For many remembering the sacrifices made by servicemen and women – including the 2779 New Zealanders and 8141 Australians lost in the Gallipoli
campaign more than 100 years ago, the Russian invasion of Ukraine was also on their minds. It was apoint made by guest speaker Dave Wardell, who, at the Lake Hāwea service asked people to remember the people of Ukraine. The daughter of newly elected Wānaka chamber of commerce chair Jo Learmonth – 15-year-old Mt Aspiring College student Zoe – was a guest speaker at the Wānaka service.
Short film cycle returns A feast of short films aimed at cyclists will feature in Wānaka on May 11 and 12. The Big Bike Film Night is an annual event that presents an array of international and New Zealand movies selected by Taupō based curator Brett Cotter. “Not many people would be proud to have their event defined as ‘weird, wacky and wonderful’, however that is one of the best ways of describing this celebration of the humble bicycle,” says Cotter. The 2022 collection contains 12 films. “Collectively, these films speak to us about determination, passion, overcoming challenges and at its heart offers quirky, uplifting, adventurous, inspiring stories,” says Cotter. This year’s selection includes one rider’s adventure through landscapes to the illumination of hot air balloons; a small Hawke’s Bay School’s ambitious plan to create a sustainable way to increase students hauora (a philosophy of health
and well-being); three friends’ mission to the centre of South America on a 2500-kilometre bike packing and raft trip; a camp designed for female athletes to ride together, a group of young riders expressing their individuality through unicycling; a bicycle that is transformed into a work of art; a trail builders' creative expression coming to life a cyclist’s obsession with speed. Cotter says one film stands out for him. It is The Freedom Seat, which follows humanitarian Naresh Kumar’s journey from India to Germany, as he cycles 8646 kilometres on a tandem bicycle called Kindness, informing those he meets about modern day slavery and trafficking. “Over the last eight years, we’ve shared an untold numbers of remarkable cycling films and the Freedom Seat is an incomparable expedition combining adventure and humanity,” Cotter said. The Big Bike Film Night will screen at the Wānaka Community Hub.
Rural fuel delivery –– Rural fuel delivery Rural fuel delivery – on time, every time on on time, time, every every time time
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Average growth of 13 percent in pay packages in the last two years is another reason for more New Zealanders to consider a career in agriculture, Federated Farmers President Andrew Hoggard says. The 2022 Federated Farmers-Rabobank Farm Remuneration Report, released this week, shows that since the 2019/2020 survey weighted average incomes in the dairy sector have grown 15 per cent (to a ‘total package’ average value of $67,251). They’re up 14 per cent, to an average of $66,859, in the sheep & beef sector; and up 7 per cent in arable (to $68,618). "Our survey shows that on top of wages adding in other factors that make up the total value of remuneration packages for farm staff, such as accommodation, meat, firewood and KiwiSaver, there’s several thousand dollars of extra value to workers across all the sectors," Hoggard says. "In towns and cities, big chunks of workers’ income are swallowed by accommodation costs. But in our dairy sector 75 per cent of employers provide accommodation for staff (61 per cent sheep/beef; 41 per cent arable), with the average accommodation cost per week being $157-$187." The survey, carried out by independent firm Research First, is based on responses from 729 employers/farm sector businesses of all sizes, covering a total of more than 2200 employees. "So as well as job security in a sector that
has ploughed ahead through tough COVID times as the engine room of our economy, plus the satisfaction of working outdoors and growing quality food for families here and in scores of other countries, the survey makes clear there are solid pay packages available," Andrew says. Those who have the right attitude and show leadership potential can find satisfying career pathways. For example, in the last two years the total value of the remuneration package for a dairy operations manager has jumped 25 percent to an average $107,593 and a sheep/ beef stock manager is earning an average 18 percent more in wages and add-ons for a total average of $78,076. "Farm businesses have clearly moved to stay competitive in a tight labour market, and to reward staff. That has been even more important with the pandemic disrupting availability of international workers." The Feds-Rabobank survey also shows that across the sector, average reported hours worked fall below the International Labour Organisation recommended maximum standard working time of 48 hours per week (for full-timers - dairy 47.2 hours, sheep/beef 44.8, arable 46.2). Rabobank New Zealand CEO Todd Charteris said the 2022 report is the 13th the bank has developed in conjunction with Federated Farmers since the partnership began in 2008.
Lifestyle sales ease The Real Estate Institute of New Zealand (REINZ) says there were 97 fewer lifestyle property sales - a 5.7 per cent drop - for the three months ended March 2022 than for the three months ended February 2022. The drop year on year was more than 32 per cent. There were 1619 lifestyle property sales in the three months ended March 2022, compared to 2397 sales for the three months ended March 2021. Sales in Otago were described as relatively steady with Dunedin and Central Otago competing evenly for numbers. The median price jumped by 42% year on year. Brian Peacocke, Rural Spokesman at REINZ said figures confirmed total sales volumes were continuing to ease to levels not experienced for several years. “Whilst this clearly mirrors the trend emerging in the residential sector, external influences include the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, job security therefore dwelling security, increasing interest rates and last but not least, the
THURSDAY 28.04.22 - WEDNESDAY 04.05.22
impact of firmer lending criteria being imposed by the financial institutions. No regions recorded an increase in sales compared to March 2021, with Southland, down four, observing the smallest decrease. Auckland (down 216) recorded the biggest decreases in the three months to March 2022 compared to the three months
to March 2021. The median number of days to sell for lifestyle properties was 11 days less in the three months to March 2022 than in the three months to March 2021, sitting at 43 days. Southland (33 days) recorded the shortest number of days to sell in March 2022. Bay of Plenty (56 days) recorded the longest number of days to sell.
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Cancer programme a success
The Southern National Bowls Screening Programme team has seen participation rates exceed the target of 60 per cent.
Southern District health board region residents have completed more than 70,000 test kits since a national bowel screening programme began four years ago. Queenstown Lakes residents have the lowest participation rates, but at 65 per cent it’s still clearly above the national target of 60 per cent. Since inception, the Southern National Bowel Screening Programme (NBSP) has detected 282 cases of bowel cancer and more than 2200 participants having polyps removed which, untreated, could have developed into cancer. “Early detection is important,” said Dr Jason
Hill, Clinical Lead of the Southern NBSP. “Cancers that are diagnosed early can be treated much more successfully, reducing the need for surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Once people with cancer become symptomatic, this usually means their cancers are more advanced.” Another complicating factor is that there are no ‘diagnostic’ symptoms of bowel cancer. “Only around one in 20 people who have symptoms typically associated with bowel cancer will be found to have the disease,” he says. “In participants, without symptoms, who return a positive screening
test in the first round through the National Bowel Screening Programme in the Southern district, around one in nine will have bowel cancer. That is why this programme is so important.” NBSP Nurse Coordinator Genevieve Cowley says one of the best parts of her job is working with those who return a positive test and seeing how much they appreciate the prompt care they receive. “People are really grateful to be a part of the programme and are reassured with the speed in which the Programme runs,” she says. “They have a sense of confidence knowing that any concerns will be picked up sooner rather than later.”
The facts
• New Zealand has one of the highest rates of bowel cancer in the world. More than 3,000 people are diagnosed with bowel cancer each year and over 1200 will die with the disease. • Symptoms to watch for are bleeding from the bottom, changes in bowel motions and habits that come and go over several weeks, anaemia, severe persistent or periodic abdominal pain, a lump or mass in the abdomen, tiredness and loss of weight for no obvious reason. • Over 350 people under 50 are diagnosed with bowel cancer each year • It is estimated that one in every 18 New Zealanders will develop bowel cancer in their lifetime • Most recent New Zealand data shows that among 200,000 people 44.8 men and 35.2 women will be diagnosed with the disease.
The programme team has focused its efforts on maintaining strong participation rates – the overall participation rate exceeds the national target of 60%, as does the rate of participation among Māori and Pasifika residents. Programme Manager Emma Bell says equity of participation has been a core focus since the Southern NBSP began in April 2018. “We have engaged closely with Māori and Pasifika communities throughout the district, partnering with Māori and Pasifika health providers and attending face-to-face gatherings and cultural events to discuss the importance of bowel screening and to answer questions directly,” she says. “This has been one of the most encouraging and rewarding parts of working on the Programme.”
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THE WCB WORD
A regular update from Wānaka Community Board Chair, Barry Bruce
Sponsored by
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Focus stays on the road
PHOTO: Wānaka Sun
Whatever time of the day and wherever you may be reading this, hello and I hope it’s been a good one for you. Well, I’m sure many were celebrating Anzac day, a very poignant day for many New Zealanders reflecting on the sacrifices of those who fought for freedoms over a century ago and far away, but remain in the forefront of our thoughts today. Being the end of three short working weeks I’m sure many are getting ready to go back a full week again but be aware your team in blue have been working through and just like rust we never sleep. So, this week we have been keeping up our focus on the roads with Operation Deterrence still ongoing and unfortunately yielding results. We are still issuing infringement notices for nonseatbelt wearing, cell phone use while driving, speeding, as well as other hazardous practices while driving. Alcohol related offences have also been dealt with - again! - resulting in fines or dates with the judiciary for those involved. The recent bout of heavy rain also caused some to get caught out while driving and delivered a spate of crashes, both single vehicles going off the road and a two-car crash on State Highway 6. Fortunately, no one was injured in any of these. We have also had some light-fingered person at the skate park taking bank cards from mostly young people skating there. These have been taken out of cell phone cases when the phones have been left on the benches while the owners skate. So please,
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parents, get your kids to look after their property and not just trust it will be okay left unattended. It’s a harsh lesson to learn with PayWave if their bank accounts get cleaned out. Speaking of your money, scams are still ongoing with it appears a PayPal scam being flavour of the day. If you are selling via Marketplace, and the purchaser wants to do it through PayPal, don’t pay any money over with the promise of getting it returned, because it won’t - you’ve lost it. Good to see town come alive a bit more over the weekend, but as usual alcohol raised its head with a serious assault on Ardmore Street where a taxi van had a window smashed and two males then assaulted a person in the taxi. We have good lines of enquiry with this and CCTV footage, but any help from the public who witnessed it or know the offenders would be helpful and all information can be divulged to the team at the station. Also, an out-of-town female was assisted back to her accommodation after calling police because she fell asleep in a bush and didn’t know where she was when she woke. Moral of the story: keep a check on your alcohol intake - a feather bed beats a privet bush any day. Stay safe Wānaka, drive safe as winter is on its way and have a great week. – By Adrian Kerin Acting Sergeant, NZPD
Two long weekends in a row, combined with school holidays, have boosted business in the district. It is great to see extra visitors enjoying autumn in the Upper Clutha. Not everyone has been on holiday though, and the Queenstown Lakes District Council is cracking on with several major projects. Lakefront redevelopment Stage two of the Wānaka Lakefront Development Plan has started. This will feature a shared path along the lake from McDougall Street to Dungarvon Street. We’ll also have 114 new parking spaces along the lake side of Ardmore Street, opposite Pembroke Park, extra native planting and a much nicer space along our lakefront for people to enjoy. To get the job done as quickly as possible, the section of Ardmore Street between McDougall Street and Dungarvon Street is temporarily closed. Please follow detour signage and allow a bit of extra time if you need to drive in this area. The trail along the lakefront is still open for anyone wishing to walk or cycle into town. And the Pembroke Park markets will run as normal. You can see more about the plans for stage two at www.qldc.govt.nz. Water upgrade Work is also under way on a new pump station in western Wānaka to boost water pressure, improve the resilience of the local supply, and support future developments. The pump station, at the corner of Bills Way and Wānaka Mount Aspiring Road, is part of a wider water upgrade project that includes a new water pipeline along Golf Course Road, up Macpherson Street and towards Anderson Road. There may be times when nothing seems to be happening on site, and that’s when our contractors will be installing pipework beneath the ground. Both the pump station and pipeline are expected to be completed by November. Wastewater upgrade A major wastewater upgrade is kicking off as part of a wider plan to make the existing network more resilient and accommodate growth. The first stage involves the upgrade and replacement of wastewater pipes and lateral pipes that connect the public system to homes on Aubrey Road, from Rata Street corner down to the lakeside. The work includes installing a new water supply pipe to connect to the existing pipe under Sir Tim Wallis Drive roundabout, as well as a new wastewater connection to the existing network near the Albert Town wastewater pump station. A new pump station is planned at a later stage. We’re sorry there will be some disruption during this upgrade. However, we’ll issue updates on the timing and level of disruption, and resident access will be maintained. Vandalism We’ve been saddened by several cases of
tree vandalism this year, with recently planted trees on public land near the lakefront being poisoned or chopped down. Such activity is an offence under New Zealand law and Council takes it very seriously. Officers will investigate and refer matters to the Police where appropriate. If you spot someone damaging a tree on Council land, please phone QLDC on 03 443 0024. Trees provide many benefits to our environment and community, so information from the public is greatly appreciated. No parking A friendly reminder that parking vehicles on Lismore Park in Wānaka is prohibited. With winter approaching, bringing rain and frost, cars on the reserve can cause a lot of damage, and endanger pedestrians. Temporary fencing will be placed along the park boundary to protect the area, and infringement notices will be issued for any vehicles parked on the reserve from May 2. Luggate water meters Council is expanding a smart water meter trial to 270 properties in Luggate. The aim is to support more sustainable water use. Households will be contacted before installation. Each installation is expected to take less than an hour, with water shut off for a maximum of 15 minutes. Council will then be able to measure water usage using a web-based software. Households will also be able to get information about their water consumption using an app. For more information, go to the council website. Free counselling We’re hearing of stress in our community, so we want to make sure everyone knows about a free counselling service for staff of small to medium businesses in our district. “Take Stock” offers three confidential counselling sessions through provider Benestar. The sessions are available by phone or video call and can be as soon as the same day if needed. To access the service, call 0800 360 364 and ask for Take Stock, or visit www.benestar.com. Drop-in session Representatives of the Wānaka Community Board will be at the Wānaka Recreation Centre from noon to 1pm on Wednesday (May 4) for an informal community drop-in session. We’d love to chat about any Council-related issue, large or small.
LETTERS
Where’s the interest?
There was a piece in the paper a few weeks ago about the poor number of submissions on the Wānaka lakefront development stage - five I think from memory. There are probably several reasons for this: Most people don’t care, those that have an opinion often share it on social media rather than via the official channel, we are overloaded with consultations – there is one every week! - they take time to read and reflect on and the Council’s draft policies are rarely modified by consultation, or so it seems, unless there is a mass revolt. Well, I looked up tonight, and there were only 18 submitters on the draft tree policy at letstalk on the Queenstown Lakes District Council website. But the range of views probably covers the field. However if only 18 submit then the council feels that by and large there is no need to change it. Gerry Spencer Wānaka
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Matariki celebrations unveiled
A Queenstown Lakes group is already preparing for the first sign of a New Year. A three-day cultural event in Arrowtown - Kā Muriwai – will welcome the arrival of Matariki from June 24. The first Matariki Arrowtown Lights event, organised by the Arrowtown Promotion and Business Association, has been 10 months in the planning. Matariki – the appearance the star cluster also known as Subaru, the seven sisters and the Pleiades – heralds a change of seasons and the start of the New Year for iwi. It signalled the time to start planning and preparing for spring while gardens were most dormant in winter. It is also a time to acknowledge people who have died since the last rising of Matariki, to celebrate the present and give thanks for what we have, and to look forward to the future. The celebration is to become a national annual holiday as a consequence of a greater acknowledgement of the Matariki’s significance in recent years. This year it will be on June 24 – but in other years the cluster holiday will be later, depending in when it rises in the night sky. All iwi celebrate the Māori New Year in June or July, but not all iwi refer specifically to this time of year as Matariki. Some refer to it as Puanga. Puanga – also known as the giant star Rigel in the
constellation of Orion – is clear in some areas when Matariki cannot be seen, notably Whanganui. “We have one of the world’s pre-eminent astrophysicists ready to share the wonders of the Otago night skies including the Matariki cluster,” Nicky Busst of the business association said. Scottish born Brian Boyle, a retired astrophysicist and Nobel Prize winner, moved to New Zealand from Australia at the end of 2019 – and constructed his own observatory in the backyard of his Dalefield property. Nicky Busst said the organisers have worked with local iwi to produce an event which will weave visual storytelling with light displays and projections. Kapa haka performances by schools will be followed by an interactive evening about the significance of the Matariki stars. The new event builds on celebrations held for several years by the Arrowtown Preschool. Its annual Matariki fundraiser proved so popular it quickly outgrew its venue, and it opened up to the public five years ago. “Our local community has embraced Matariki and supports the new public holiday. We saw this as an opportunity to bring together the area’s wider creative talents and explore the cultural significance of Matariki as a unique New Zealand holiday, in a way that not only brings our community together but attracts visitors to the region too,” Nicky Busst said.
PHOTO: Brian Boyle
Matariki is known in Japan as Subaru.
Marketplace con catches the eye Selling a dodgy item on-line can have legal consequences. A seller who palmed off a faulty iPhone to a schoolboy was ordered to refund the money after the disputes tribunal refused to buy his story. The seller claimed his phone, which retails for $2350, was mint – but it was far from it, and when the phone packed up and the con exposed, he refused to give the money back. The Consumer Institute has used the case to illustrate the steps which can be taken when buyers are ripped off on the popular trading platform. James de Hair, 15, from Kāpiti College, saved to buy a second-hand phone off Facebook Marketplace in June 2021. Three months later, it stopped receiving a cellular signal, leaving the phone unusable. “Many of us buy second-hand goods off Trade Me and social media marketplaces. There are laws in place that can help buyers if their purchase doesn’t end up being what the seller promised,” said Consumer NZ head of content Caitlin Cherry. She said more than 10 percent of claims to the disputes tribunal never go to a hearing. “Just the act of lodging a claim could get you the result you want if you wind up in a situation like James did.” James settled on purchasing an iPhone XS Max for $750, haggling it down from $800. The phone retailed brand new for $2349, so he was pleased to buy it. When purchasing the phone, he said he asked all the right questions. “I asked whether the phone has its original battery. And would my SIM card be compatible. The seller assured me it was all good, and the phone was advertised as being in perfect condition.” When the phone suddenly stopped receiving a cellular signal, James tried to get it repaired. But an Apple repair centre told him they couldn’t fix
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Education minister Chris Hipkins talks to the Ministerial advisory group.
it as the SIM card tray didn’t match the phone’s serial number. A second repair shop told him there was major water damage with visible rust along the edge of the frame and that the battery had been replaced. James contacted the seller and asked him to put it right. The seller refused to provide a full refund, so James’ aunt advised him to go to the disputes tribunal. “I wasn’t going to get my money back any other way,” James said. “I thought, let’s take him to the tribunal – what’s the worst that can happen? It’s only $45 to file it.” At the hearing, James turned up in his school uniform and read his evidence. The seller claimed the phone had never been tampered with, but the tribunal referee concluded it was clear there was misrepresentation. They reached a settlement. The seller agreed to pay back the $750 and James returned the phone. After his win, James thinks a future in law may be on the cards. “It would be a pretty cool thing to be able to look back and say I won my first case at 15.” The experience hasn’t put him off either, as James has already bought another phone off Facebook Marketplace. “It seems like a better trade – but I’m ready for anything. If I get ripped off, I know what to do.”
Looking for members The Ministerial Youth Advisory Group (YAG) The new members will be aged 14 to 15. wants to add four new members. Registration closes on Sunday 8 May 2022. For YAG members are encouraged to bring their more information email youth.voice@education. insights to help improve the education system. govt.nz or go to www.education.govt.nz/yag Their input over several years has contributed to and helped shape several education programmes including curriculum work, youth engagement and wellbeing and employment pathways. Current YAG member Jayden van Dyk believes his experiences in different types of schooling enables him to be an asset to the Youth Advisory Group, “and I enjoy being able to have an impact”. Sarah Holmes Another YAG member, Rei Denee said 027 343 4776 working with the Youth Advisory Group helped her feel heard “in a way I've never experienced before." To reflect the different experiences of youth Professional Trustworthy Friendly Reliable in Aotearoa, YAG is looking for a diverse range of young people. Learners in Māori medium, Household help, Pacific, and young people from migrant, rainbow Meal preparation, and disability communities are encouraged to Outings companionship, have a go and register. Shopping carer support. "YAG is exciting, our voices are heard, and I feel like we’re making a real difference," said w w w .penny s homecar e.co.nz Tanin Cain, YAG member.
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N o t i c e b o a rd | P a p a P ā n u i Dog Registration for 2022/2023 A friendly reminder invoices for the 2022/2023 registration period for all registered dogs will be sent out shortly. To ensure you receive an accurate invoice, please update your dog’s details and any recent changes to your mailing w address by calling 03 443 0024 or emailing services@qldc.govt.nz.
Alcohol Licensing Applications Current alcohol licensing applications can be found at www.qldc.govt.nz/services/alcohol-licensing. Applicant / Licensee
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Closure Of Streets To Ordinary Vehicular Traffic Pursuant to the Local Government Act 1974, notice is hereby given that the following road will be closed to ordinary vehicular traffic for the purpose of holding the NASA Balloon Launch. Roads to be Closed: Wānaka - Luggate Highway, Mount Barker Road & Shortcut Road. Period of Closure: Thursday 5 May 2022 for a maximum period of two hours between 6.00am and 12.00pm.
Alastair McDowell
Paul Pritchard
Lake Hāwea’s Tanya Bottomley will be among the speakers at The New Zealand Mountain Film and Book Festival. Her talk will cover her traverse of the 45th Parallel, a self-supported 600km journey following the circle of latitude that is 45 degrees south of the equator – and runs through Queenstown Lakes. The Festival will celebrate its 20th anniversary with a line-up of Australasian adventurers. “As an advocate for women's empowerment, Tanya is showing women everywhere that there is a space where fear and success can co-exist, and that extraordinary strength can come from choosing audacity over timidity,” festival director Mark Sedon said Sedon founded the festival in 2002 with wife Jo. It runs this year in Wānaka from June 24 to June 29, in Queenstown from June 30 to July 3 and online from June 24 to July 24 in New Zealand and Australia. He said bringing world-class speakers and adventurers to the Queenstown Lakes region to inspire others to take part in safe adventurous activities is what the festival is all about. “I love the way the buzz in the audience quietens as a speaker takes the stage,” says Sedon. “Then he or she takes us on their journey, whether it’s climbing a far-away mountain, or something here in our backyard. We gasp and laugh, sharing the hardships and joys of someone else’s adventure, gazing at the images on the big screen while enjoying the spoken story. In my mind there’s no doubt our speakers make our event.” This year’s line-up includes New Zealand mountaineer Alastair McDowell who will speak
about his mission to conquer New Zealand’s 24 highest mountains above 3000 metres in a 31-day transalpine journey. Paul Pritchard, a rock climber and mountaineer, spent a year in hospital and his doctors feared he might never walk or speak again following a lifechanging accident climbing a slender sea stack known as The Totem Pole in Tasmania. He will share how the lessons learned in the mountains got him through a harrowing injury and how the painfully slow recovery process has engendered a life lived in the moment. Speakers for the book festival include Shaun Barnett who co-wrote the Montana awardwinning Tramping in New Zealand with Rob Brown and whose book Tramping, A New Zealand History with Chris Maclean was long listed for the 2016 Ockham Book Awards. Barnett is joined by Chris Long, the son of the authors of A Life on Gorge River and A Wife on Gorge River, who will speak about his book Boy from Gorge River; journalist Hazel Phillips and photographer Peter Laurensen as well as Sedon who will speak about his recently published book What Could Possibly Go Wrong? The 2022 event will include talks, films, art displays, live music and readings and the top entries from the Mountain Film and Mountain Book competitions. The festival is a competitive event and an opportunity for filmmakers and authors to showcase their work, receive merit and win cash prizes. In 2022 entries in the international book competition have been higher than ever and 150 film competition entries received. The festival is run by the NZ Mountain Film Festival Charitable Trust, which is a registered charity.
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Alternative Dates: If the launch is aborted: the first consecutive day thereafter until successful launch between 5 May and 31 June 2022. Note: The launch is weather dependent, so the proposed closure time will be postponed to the following day until suitable conditions exist. It will be an offence under the above regulations for any person otherwise than under authority of an authorised permit to use the roads for ordinary vehicular traffic during the period of closure.
QLDC Meeting Schedule: May 2022 Public Notice is hereby given in terms of Section 46 of the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987 that meetings of the Council will be held as follows, during the month of May 2022. Bridesdale Farm Developments Ltd Right-of-way Easement Hearing – via Zoom. Tuesday 3 May at 10.00am. Resource Consent Hearing (Nature Preservation Trustee Ltd RM210542) – via Zoom. Wednesday 11 May at 9.00am. Resource Consent Hearing (G MacLauchan and A Spary RM210318) – via Zoom. Thursday 12 May at 9.00am. Wānaka Community Board Meeting – via Zoom. Thursday 12 May at 10.00am. Resource Consent Hearing (Canyon Ridge Villas Ltd RM210019) – via Zoom. Wednesday 18 and Thursday 19 May at 9.00am. Community & Services Committee Meeting – via Zoom. Thursday 19 May at 10.00am. Planning & Strategy Committee Meeting – via Zoom. Thursday 19 May at 1.00pm. Resource Consent Hearing (Second Star Ltd RM210784) – via Zoom. Monday 23 and Tuesday 24 May at 9.00am. 2022-2023 Annual Plan Hearing - via Zoom. Wednesday 25 May at 10.00am. Meeting dates, times and venues are subject to change. At alert level Orange of the COVID-19 Protection Framework, all public forum attendance will be conducted via Zoom. Some meetings may have items of business that will be discussed with the public excluded, as set out by the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987. Mike Theelen CHIEF EXECUTIVE Private Bag 50072 | 47 Ardmore Street Wānaka Phone 03 443 0024 | www.qldc.govt.nz
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New chair for chamber
The Operations Manager for Wānaka Airport has been named as the new chair of the Ignite Wānaka Chamber of Commerce. Jo Learmonth, a sitting board member, succeeds Andrew (Howie) Howard. Howard, who has served as chair since January last year, stepped down due to personal circumstances. Learmonth was elected chair last week at the monthly board meeting. “Due to my other commitments I have not been able to devote the time and energy that our business community expects and deserves,” Howard said.
“I am still really excited about being a part of this great team and working to support Jo. I have no doubt she is the right person at the right time for us.” Learmonth said Howard had worked tirelessly as chair, “and on behalf of the board, I would like to thank him for his leadership and dedication to the Wānaka business community over the past 15 months”. “We are delighted that he will still be involved at the board table and appreciate his contributions to date.” Learmonth has career experience in
both public and private enterprise. She specialises in business performance at SME level, as well as with start-ups and corporate project management. “The Wānaka business community has endured a difficult two years with the Covid-19 pandemic and the resultant economic crisis that we continue to navigate. This year will remain challenging for our local businesses. The Chamber board is determined to support businesses in the Upper Clutha and advocate on their behalf to help enable the sustainable success of our local economy,” Learmonth said.
Jo Learmonth
Hui for Māori business
The circle of life
Māori businesses in Wānaka are being invited to attend a hui for the area to be held next week. Te Kupeka Umaka Māori ki Araiteuru (Kuma), the Māori business network for the Otago/Southland region, is hosting the event, which seeks to connect with and engage Māori businesses in Wānaka, and surrounding areas including Tāhuna (Queenstown). Following a successful hui Claire Porima in Tāhuna last November, Kuma wanted to hold another event to find out what Wānaka whānau businesses need and also to network and share ideas, Kuma tumuaki (chair) Claire Porima, Ngāti Hikairo, said. “The purpose of these hui is to find out how we can support our whānau connections and collectively strengthen our businesses,” she says. “We want to initiate a conversation around what support and services we need in our region to sustain a thriving Māori business community. “Kuma’s vision is captured in the whakatauki ‘Kia tipua tahi ai’ (let us grow together) – and our regional hui are central to our kaupapa.” The Wānaka hui will be held on May 4, from 6-7.30pm, at the Scope Media office in Reece Cres. “The Wānaka hui will be an important event because it’s been a long time since anything of this nature for local Māori businesses has been held here before,” Kuma board member Celia Crosbie (Kai Tahu) said. “A lot of businesses in Wānaka may identify as Māori but don’t really know who to reach out to for support or whanaungatanga. This will be the start of our korero together.”
It was a remarkable work of labour, love and art designed to last just one cycle of the tide. Wānaka environmentalists Martin Hill and Philippa Jones’ day at the beach last week provided a spectacular start of the Wild Dunedin Festival. On International Earth Day and with help from 10 art school volunteers they created a 25-metre diameter symbol of nature’s circular economy using driftwood and plaited kelp – then watched as the incoming tide at Lawyers Head took it away. Wild Dunedin, the New Zealand Festival of Nature, commissioned the artists to carry out the work. Video of the work was used when the artists spoke at Otago University. The festival finishes today.
Artist’s impression
The change in board leadership follows the resignation last month of Ignite Wānaka general manager Naomi Lindsay, who is leaving to pursue her own business ventures. The board is seeking expressions of interest for the role of general manager. Ignite Wānaka Chamber of Commerce board members are Jo Learmonth (chair), Celia Crosbie (vice chair), Claire Dooney, Laura Hedley, Andrew Howard, John Mezger and Bronwyn McCarthy. Queenstown Lakes District Councillor and deputy mayor Calum McCleod is an ex-officio member.
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Artist’s impression
Artist’s impression
Brand new commercial opportunity Northlake Commercial Centre, 5 Northlake Drive, Wanaka In the heart of one of the fastest growing neighbourhoods in Wanaka, the Northlake Commercial Centre offers a mix of quality cafe, retail or office spaces. On offer are seven tenancies ranging in size from 48sqm (approx) to 558sqm (approx). These tenancies are available for lease with the opportunity to purchase. With the rapid growth of Northlake and with much more to come from future residential development, the completion of apartments and the ALTA villas, the local population is growing fast. If you need to increase your business profile, or are ready to start up your new enterprise, the opportunity here in Northlake is on offer now - construction is under way. This is an excellent opportunity to take on a brand new lease space in Northlake. Northlake Commercial Centre also offers the opportunity to purchase these units.
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