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18th Feb - 24th Feb
FIRST ON THE STREET
No 738
LAKES WEEKLY BULLETIN
JO
BS
18 IN 5 SI
D
E
ENQUIRIES@LWB.CO.NZ
NOT SURE WHY WE PAY QLDC RATES? Absolutely total shame on QLDC, I live in Kingston, yes that village you administrate at the south end of the lake. I work in Queenstown like many others here in Kingston. We actually got the weather bomb the other week like you, yes the lake level becames high like you, yes every stream and river become a torrent of water like you all up there. But, the lack of information from you to us faded rather badly. That week I had no idea how to get home, finally through local social media I found I could catch a water taxi that a local here organised. The next morning I had no idea if I could get back to work, that day or the next or the next??? We had no power, no roads in both directions, no phone or cell coverage, we were completely shut in. Thank God no one had a medical emergency because there was no communication available! What happened to civil defence or any council help? OK it’s cost me a couple of days wages plus travel, but there are a lot of others like me here in that forgotten village… Solutions While I’m not a council official with any degrees after my name, however here are my thoughts. Firstly as we live on the lake shore of Wakatipu and are governed by the QLDC, some of this responsibility of our elected council must fall on their shoulders. As a community we have a Fire Brigade, Ambulance Service and a Civil Defence plan. Both fire and ambulance are run by volunteers who in my opinion are amazing. But we cannot expect them to be sitting at their stations 24/7. When our phones become non existent, that would have been the answer for emergency calls, but logically that’s a big call. There are radio coms here QLDC could have sorted.
Congratulations to Queenstowner Alice Robinson! Last week she scooped an ‘Emerging Talent’ award at the Halberg’s, then swiftly followed that up by winning her second event on the World Cup giant slalom circuit at the weekend. Pictured with Tiarn Collins and Marty Toomey at the Winter Games 2019 launch.
(Photo: Jodi Walters)
Transport As said, many of the village work out of the area. On the day of the road closures many had to find accommodation while others privately hired water taxis. That was it! Stay or pay. The following day the road remained shut. Limited traffic was allowed the day after. Maybe the council should have helped out here, there is more than one marine operator in QT, nothing was done! Enough of my ranting, just think we here need a little more looking after. Peeved Kingston resident.
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