Joseph Mooney - MP for Southland
Good planning and preparation don’t just make things run smoothly - they create success. A perfect example is the Queenstown Marathon, which smashed records yet again.
I had the privilege of sounding the hooter for the second time at Millbrook to kick off the marathon. Over 13,000 runners took part across all events, including 2,995 marathoners and a whopping 5,000 international runners from 88 countries. That’s 2,000 more than last year. Air New Zealand even added 6,400 extra seats to Queenstown flights, giving our local economy a serious boost.
Tourism is a heavy lifter of the lower South Island, and the Government is making sure those benefits flow far and wide. This month, regional development agency Great South received $393,000 to launch a campaign showcasing our region’s legendary hospitality to the world. More visitors mean more opportunities for businesses in places tourists might never have discovered otherwise.
I’m also incredibly pleased to see Queenstown a focus as New Zealand welcomes the Michelin Guide for the first time ever. After 125 years, Michelin is expanding into Oceania (we beat Australia to the punch). Inspectors are already dining anonymously in our top restaurants, with the first NZ edition to be released mid-2026, featuring Queenstown, Auckland, Wellington, and Christchurch. This is another win for tourism and economic growth.
While Domino’s might not make the Michelin list, there’s an incredible local success story behind those pizzas. Recently I caught up with Anton Cuthbert. He started at Domino’s at 15, bought his first store in Alexandra at 20 (just two weeks before the 2020 lockdown), and didn’t stop there. By 25, Anton owns four stores in Alexandra, Wānaka, Queenstown, and Frankton, employing over 100 people, and still jumps in to make pizzas. That’s entrepreneurship at its finest.
Queenstown Lakes is buzzing with innovation and that’s reflected in an interesting recent fact: Queenstown now has more merchants accepting Bitcoin than Hong Kong. Earlier this year, I hosted a Queenstown-led delegation at Parliament to talk digital currency opportunities. Local businesses are embracing the future and Queenstown’s leading the way yet again.
As summer approaches, so does Christmas and a busy season for Queenstown Lakes. But before the year wraps up, there’s an important milestone next month as Health NZ completes Clinical Services Planning for Otago Central Lakes. I’m very proud of this as it’s a direct result of a health project I started with local leaders and Helen Foot two years ago. Our work has led to Health Minister Simeon Brown directing HealthNZ to work on the first clinical services plan for a region in decades.
This clinical services plan will shape the future of health services in Otago Central Lakes. Public info sessions are coming up, with Q&A and chances to chat with health leaders and local reps. All events are free—just register if you’d like to join:
- Queenstown: Event Centre, Frankton – 1:45pm, Thu 27 Nov
- Wānaka: Lake Wānaka Centre – 1:30pm, Tue 25 Nov
- Cromwell: Presbyterian Church Hall – 10:45am, Wed 26 Nov
- Online: Microsoft Teams – 5:30pm, Wed 26 Nov: Register: https://bit.ly/CSPCOQL
