Public Forum

We have regularly engaged directly with the Queenstown Lakes District Council and others since April 2019.  

Presentations to Councils

Multiple councils have an interest in determining the most appropriate air connectivity for the Central Lakes region.

Those directly involved with the existing or proposed airports include the Queenstown Lakes District Council, Central Otago District Council, Otago Regional Council, and Christchurch City Council. Waitaki, Westland, and Southland district councils have a peripheral interest, with any Central Lakes airport solution likely to be the closest Airlink for a significant part of their district.

Much of FlightPlan2050’s early focus was on Queenstown Lakes District Council, as the majority owner of Queenstown Airport Corporation. Two recurrent themes have underlined these presentations.

The first is on process, seeking the proper application of the council’s responsible governance of Queenstown Airport Corp through QAC’s annual Statement of Intent. We think a deficit in this proper process has undermined transparency and accountability while enabling vested interests.

Secondly, we ask QLDC to consider the future potential of Queenstown Airport’s relocation to enable Frankton to develop as the district’s principal town. So far, the council determinedly refuses to do so. The terms of reference of all QLDC’s projects since 2018 have explicitly excluded its consideration, including:

  • The district-wide Spatial Plan,
  • Ladies Mile planning,
  • Frankton Flats master planning,
  • The Martin Jenkins socio-economic assessment of alternative airport scenarios,
  • The government-sponsored Regenerative Tourism Project,
  • The council-sponsored Regenerative Recovery Advisory Group,
  • The council sponsored Climate Reference Group,
  • Queenstown town centre arterial road project,
  • The $90 million Waka Kotahi upgrade from Ladies Mile to Queenstown Bay,
  • The council roadside tree policy,
  • The council’s Annual Plan
  • The council’s long-term District Plan, and
  • Queenstown Airport Corporation’s annual statements of intent.

FlightPlan2050 now engages across all the affected councils, advocating for a joined-up approach to determining the Central Lakes’ future airport infrastructure.

Council should be gatekeeper for QAC’s $350 million expansion

Public forum: We ask Queenstown Council to resist over-capitalising Queenstown Airport until certainty regarding the proposed Central Otago Airport.

QLDC refuses to consider airport options

Public forum: QLDC keeps its head in the sand, preferring not to consider how alternative airport options could benefit its ratepayers and urban planning.

Carbon Zero by 2030 incompatible with draft Airport Master Plan

Public forum: The Regenerative Tourism Plan's Carbon Zero by 2030 goal requires fewer visitors. It's incompatible with Queenstown Airport’s Master Plan.

Introducing FlightPlan2050 to QLDC councillors

Public forum: We introduce FlightPlan2050 to QLDC Councillors, being the third triennium of councillors with whom we have advocated our mission.

QLDC Annual Plan visitor projections

We challenge QLDC to proactive control and response regarding the district’s visitor growth projections.

Carbon Zero by 2030 clashes with Council planning

QLDC visitor growth projections are incompatible with its Carbon Zero by 2030 tourism goal, yet no changes are in sight.

Are we really NZ’s most polluting district?

If we acknowledge the flight emissions of our international visitors, we find the Queenstown economy is by far the most polluting in NZ.

Manual keeps councillors in the dark

For years the process of Council agreeing to QAC's statement of intent has been poorly managed. That problem's likely to continue.

Councillors united on Climate Change

The new 2022 elected councillors are united in agreeing there's a climate emergency and we need to act decisively.

Can Council assert authority over QAC?

Yet again, Queenstown Lakes District Council caves in under pressure from QAC, which itself falsely promises to do the best for the district.

Use the Annual Plan to increase knowledge

We urge council to include in its Annual Plan research and analysis of emissions saving possible through urban intensification of Frankton Flats.

Will Council fight blindly?

QLDC has done no analysis to understand the Tarras airport proposal. Yet the council instructs Queenstown Airport Corp to actively resist it.

A knowledge centre in Frankton

The Research and Innovation Centre is an example of what could be achieved if Council directed QAC to consider the Tarras airport proposal.

Are council outcomes predetermined?

We question how the Queenstown Lakes District Council process appears to predetermine councillor decisions regarding Queenstown Airport Corp.

Councillors, please open your eyes

We highlight the billions of dollars Queenstown Lakes ratepayers would benefit from the closure of Queenstown Airport and urban development of Frankton Flats.

SOI concerns

QAC’s updated SOI to reflect Covid does not address community concerns, being demand-driven, dual airports and air noise boundaries.

We need good information

Queenstown Lakes population growth drives need to urbanise Frankton, only possible if flights relocated from Queenstown Airport to Tarras.

Spatial Plan is ideal opportunity

Council excludes the potential to relocate airline flights from Queenstown Airport to a new Tarras airport from the spatial planning consultation.

When is being appalled appalling?

Mayor Jim Boult came out swinging. No way was he going to have anyone threaten or impinge on Queenstown Airport’s growth.

The opportunity of Tarras

When CIAL proposed a new airport near Tarras we presumed closing Queenstown Airport to develop Frankton would be a no-brainer.

A new vision for Queenstown Lakes

We presented a new vision to councillors, a Queenstown Lakes Alpine City Campus, by relocating Queenstown Airport.

Will council guide QAC?

We ask Council to guide QAC with a formal letter of expectations as part of the company’s annual planning process.

Proxy dropped but a new trick

Mayor Boult withdraws his outrageous attempt to wrest total control over QAC shareholder decisions but finds another trick.

New Council first meeting

We welcome newly elected Councillors’ to their first meeting knowing the un-ratified QAC statement of intent remains at issue.

Mayor Boult’s false advice

Mayor Boult had incorrectly insisted to councillors that they had a responsibility to “receive” QAC’s statement of intent or QAC would be in breach of its statutory obligations.

SOI fails to consider options

QAC’s demand-led growth and dual airport expansion plans fail to address escalating community concerns. Councillors responded by refusing its statement of intent.

Reimagine Frankton without the airport

When QAC was hard-driving expansion of its air noise boundaries in Queenstown and its dual-airport growth model, FlightPlan2050 offered a new vision of Frankton without the airport. We called for a full and objective study of all the options.