Issue 745

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7th - 13th April

No 745

LAKES WEEKLY BULLETIN

RO ne U ws Pa N ge D s 4- U 7 P

ENQUIRIES@LWB.CO.NZ

Here in Queenstown like all over New Zealand, we’re almost at a standstill. Across the basin we are getting used to the living in lockdown as it becomes the new normal. I don’t think anyone was prepared for what Coronavirus would mean for us here in Queenstown. t has had hu e ramifications for our economy, but also for our people with businesses having to close and hundreds of job losses. We are unique and are heavily reliant on the tourism sector and migrant workers. wo out of every three people in ueenstown wor in the tourism industry, compared to 1.4 out of 10 across the country. I have been contacted by many people here in Queenstown who have either lost their ob, are worried they can t pay their rent or those who can t get home. n the worst situations, they are all three, mi rants who have lost their obs on work visas and cannot get home.

Photo: Paul Taylor

fter lobbyin various inisters, it was pleasin to see the overnment announce some progress on the latter and also assistance for people stuck in Queenstown who can’t get home overseas. We are very fortunate though to have a wonderful community who supports one another. We have to take each day as it comes at present and what this means for the months to come is not yet known. All we do know is that we have to do all we can now to protect ourselves and keep this virus at bay. o do this we need to follow the rules, and stay home unless headin out to et essential items or exercisin , or travellin to wor if you are an essential service. e have never been throu h anythin li e this ever before, we have to work through it all day by day. The key in all of this is to look after yourself and your loved ones. Make time to call those old friends or the family members you don’t see often. hile we have to be physically apart, we don t have to be distant Keep up to date with what is going on through the Covid-19 website https://covid19.govt.nz/ As of Monday (April 6) evening we currently have over 63 cases in the ueenstown a es area, some which are lin ed to the ereford onference which was held here earlier last month, so let s wor to stop this spread. We had a scary situation very close to home when all 83 of our staff at the a es istrict ospital who had wor ed the previous days had to be tested after two nurses tested positive.

Annual Plan: The one we do every year It sets out our 2020-2021 work plan, along with budgets and key priorities for QLDC to deliver on behalf of the community, and what this means for levels of service and the rates you pay.

hile everyone is now bac on dec , it reminds us how valuable our health services team are and provides us with a scary thought as to what could have been. To our health services team - thank you for everything you do. o all of you - if need anythin , remember am here to help, so contact me by emailing hamish.walkermp@ parliament.govt.nz Look after yourselves and look after each other.

Hamish Walker MP for Clutha-Southland

Let us know if we have it right. Find out more an d make a su bmission at letstalk .qldc.govt .nz or pick up a copy from one of our offices (open until 17 April).


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