Sports Massage Therapy

SKI’S ROSSIGNOL EX ALL MTN, TOP OF the range, skied 2 hours. Brand new. Retail cost $1750. Selling $1200

For Sale For Rent

LOOKING FOR ONE MATURE AND TIDY PERSON to fill the last bedroom. Located close to town (5 minute walk), room is furnished. Please text me a little about yourself on 0278653761. No smokers and pets not allowed.

Community

NEW TO THE AREA OR GOT MORE time on your hands & looking to give back to your community? Altrusa International Qtwn is looking for volunteers just like you to join our woman’s charitable & service org. supporting our local community. Want to know more? Email: altrusaqueenstown@gmail.com or message us on Facebook.com/AltrusaQueenstown

WHAKATIPU DRIVE MY LIFE ARE SEEKING VOLUNTEERS to become mentor buddies to help our vulnerable people achieve their drivers licence. If you are interested or have any questions contact Louise Ward louise@reap.co.nz

SPCA OP SHOP – 51 GORGE RD. Open Monday – Saturday 9.00 – 5.00. Pre-loved goods and clothing at great prices. Help support the ongoing work done by the SPCA. Your old goods, or your time, could help save a life. Accepting donations (no electrical at the moment) and volunteers now. Volunteers wanted!

WSCA – ROOMS FOR HIRE - SPACIOUS, sunny rooms are available for hire to Queenstown Community Groups. The rooms hold up to 90 people, with seated dining for 40. Located on the 1st floor of Malaghan House, 10 Memorial Street, Queenstown with lift access. There are kitchen facilities, toilets, Wi-Fi, media equipment for projection onto large screen plus large screen TV.

LOCAL FAMILY LOOKING FOR SEMI RURAL 4 BED HOUSE TO RENT.

Construction Company owners-open to negotiating terms, could add value to your rental. Good maintenance of property and great references available. Available to move from Oct onwards. 0221254875

Mandala Massage

Professional, Frankton based, 5 years experience. $60 for 60 minutes or $100 do mobile. Contact 0284095069 or mandalamassagenz on Instagram for availability, and bookings.

Contact us on 03 4429214 or info@wsca.org.nz for more details.

ST JOHN ROOMS FOR HIRE. 1 X office space with free WIFI. 1 x room seats 30, 1 x room seats 100 with whiteboards, smart TVs, projector screens, free WIFI, shared kitchen and fantastic views! Contact Sarah on 027 206 6340 or queenstownreception@stjohn. org.nz for bookings and more info.

FREE IMMIGRATION CLINIC. IF YOU NEED IMMIGRATION information or advice the Citizens Advice Bureau run an immigration clinic every Wednesday from 7pm. To make an appointment call them on 03 442 6679

Everything Else

QUEENSTOWN DHARMA CENTRE, 12 LAKE ST. WED (9 Aug), @ 6:30pm, Mindfulness of the Body - a Guided Meditation Practice with Alan or Annette; SUN (13 Aug), @ 10am, “Cultivating Awareness Practice” followed by “Social Sunday.” . All sessions are free with dana for the centre/teacher gratefully accepted. For session details, see dharmacentre.org.nz or FB.

WOULD THE GENTLEMAN WHO HAS MY ANTIQUE Cuckoo clock for repair please call Tony on 027 270 4302.

NEED AN IDYLLIC SPOT IN KINGSTON TO rent for your tiny home or caravan? Please text 022 404 3545.

HAVE THAT NIGGLING ACHE OR PAIN THAT just won’t go away? A recurring condition, or maybe you’re looking for something to assist alongside your more traditional treatments to speed up recovery? Two Feathers can help, an Alternative & Holistic Health Service including Tuning Forks, Energy Healing & Reiki Master. For more info contact Amy on: healing@ twofeathers.co.nz or 022 454 8288

DOES YOUR HOME NEED A FRESHEN UP?

Professional property care services in Queenstown. Interior & Exterior Window Cleaning, Exterior Building Wash Downs, Driveway Cleaning, Builder’s Cleans & more. Call James 0275559200 | 360propertycare.nz

Queenstown’s on the rates podium

By Paul Taylor

It’s official. Queenstown Lakes residents are paying the third highest rates in the country.

The Ratepayers Report, published by the New Zealand Taxpayers Union, shows this year’s 14.2% average hike puts the district in the top three of the 61 territorial authorities (11 city councils and 50 are district councils). The average residential rates here are $3,552 per annum, with just Carterton District Council ($3,938) and Manawatu District Council ($3,713) coming in higher. The lowest is Buller District Council at $2,155.

Queenstown Lakes is, however, down at 42nd on the list for the average nonresidential rates, with commercial properties paying $3,753 per annum. That’s in stark contrast to places at the top of the table, such as Wellington City Council, where the residential rates average is $2,972 but the nonresidential is $32,616, or Kawerau District Council, where they’re $2,398 and $31,411 respectively.

Lakes Weekly Bulletin will ask Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) for some context on this, along with some general comments on the report, which was published Friday afternoon, 4 August.

Taxpayers’ Union National Campaigns Manager, Callum Purves, says the report showcases the inner workings of councils all over New Zealand.

“It provides an essential tool for ratepayers to evaluate their local council and hold decision makers accountable.”

QLDC serves a population of 48,000 in 20,403 households, across 8,720sqm.

It employs 448 FTE (full-time equivalent) staff and 124 of them are paid over $100k per annum, that’s more than a quarter (27.6%). Eleven staff members are paid more than $200k.

Greater Wellington Regional Council and its CCOs employees the highest percentage of staff at salaries over $100,000 (43.67%). The lowest is Wairoa (7.93%).

Ph 021 343 653

There are 119 (FTE) managers earning $76,828 on average ($69,540 median). It employs 50 (FTE) infrastructure staffers, 28 regulatory and 12 customer service. It also employs 11 comms and marketing staff, earning $67k on average (74k median).

There were no dismissals at QLDC last year. There were 18 dismissals due to poor performance across all councils, with Christchurch City Council firing eight of them.

QLDC was one of a dozen councils which refused to supply information on how many consultants and contractors it uses, or how much it pays them. Hamilton spent the most on them, $314,971,368 – thee times more than Auckland Council. South Taranaki District Council spent the least, $155,184. QLDC did confirm it pays $295k to the Queenstown Business Chamber of Commerce, $69k to Local Government New Zealand and $48k to the New Zealand Society of Local Government Managers.

The net debt is 301% of rates income, coming in at $9,434 per rating unit. It pays $182 in interest per rating unit.

Auckland Council has the highest net debt as a percentage of rates income at 525% with a net debt per rating unit of $17,451. It also has the highest interest per rating unit at $673. Only nine councils (including regional councils) have net debt as a % of rates income at or below zero.

The Wānaka App compared QLDC to other similarly sized councils around the country and residential rates are, on average, 22.8% higher.

QLDC also has 34% more council staff than the average for similar districts, one staff member for every 45 households.

The report is free and available to the public at www.RatepayersReport.nz