LAKES WEEKLY

from LWB_issue 891

by Lakes Weekly Bulletin

WORK IN PARADISE

Locally Ownedsince Forever

How to GSD – getting community “stuff” done in Queenstown

The proposed cycle and pedestrian bridge crossing of SH6 was made public this week. A few groups, Lightfoot and Queenstown Trails Trust included, have been working on this project for several years. It’s a win for walkers and cyclists but also great news for the whole community – a gap in the travel network is bridged and more climate-friendly movement will be possible. But why has community advocacy been so successful for this particular project? I had some time to reﬂect as we received news that the geo-tech investigation was underway and that a public announcement would soon come. What got this project over the line? It boils down to three key tips that I’ll share for others wanting to GSD:

Know the need and show it. You need to fully understand the problem. This means gathering data. Yes, a few locals will clock me as that creepy woman with the camera often spotted (illegally?) ﬁlming movement on SH6, and doing unsolicited interviews with people trying to cross a busy road. It’s because good visual evidence of a problem helps to support the ‘hard’ data – trafﬁc movements, population growth, national speed limits etc. We are hard-wired to tune into people’s stories, so sharing tales about near misses and showing the danger helped others to see the need.

Collaborate. One voice means nothing. Ehara taku toa i te toa takitahi, he toa takitini – my strength is not as an individual, but as a collective. If you want to achieve anything, aligning yourself and your project with as many other groups as possible, will lead to a better outcome. Diversity of perspective helps to reﬁne initial ideas. Evidencing the widespread appeal of your project is crucial. A great place to start is with your local Community Association. These groups wield power in Queenstown and are there to help the community get it what it needs. Consider how your project might beneﬁt young people (ECE’s and schools will want to talk to you) or older people (Greypower, U3A, Rotary, Lions).

Be Constructive. Once you’ve got a solid project, start with the people at QLDC or other relevant entities. They actually want the best outcome too, because, guess what? Most of them are part of the community. So, be constructive and stay above board. As you’re working through a project that involves multiple stakeholders with someone else holding the purse strings, decisions might be made that you’re not happy with. Queenstown Whinge won’t get you far. Stay constructive while you’re negotiating for a better outcome. And remember, you’re only allowed to complain to a small number of trusted individuals who understand what it’s like to be that creepy person with the camera.

Amanda Robinson - The Lightfoot Initiative

Since the start of 2021 The Queenstown Business Chamber of Commerce in partnership with Lakes Weekly, JobFix, Ignite Wanaka Chamber of Commerce and supported by QLDC, Lake Wānaka Tourism and DQ have been conducting a regular local business Confidence Survey. The first one for 2023 is now underway and getting a broad cross section of local businesses to participate is critical.

The aim is to provide greater insight into the health of local businesses, the local economy and a view on the trading environment.

The data we collect provides a gauge of business confidence across the district and enables the Chambers of Commerce, Destination Queenstown, Lake Wanaka Tourism and QLDC to collectively advocate for and support the Southern Lakes businesses.

This is the third year of the quarterly surveys which enable us to tell a story across the years. The more data we collect enables trends to be tracked and supports future decisions over time.

Please take the survey as every business story is different and your input is vital and the more companies that take the survey the more robust the data will be, including understanding how local sectors within the economy are faring. The survey is short, just 2-3 minutes to complete, and the results will be released once analysed and published in Lakes Business for everyone to see the compiled results.

The survey is open from Wednesday 6 March for all businesses in the Southern Lakes region, you don’t need to be a member of the Chambers to participate and closes on the 16 March.