Latest issue

by Anthony Hill

Ratepayers have just paid the first instalment of the new QLDC annual rates, 9.9% or thereabouts across the district up on last year. I ask myself why? Why doesn’t Queenstown have the cheapest rates in the country? If the infrastructure cost of running this district was equitably distributed across all users, our local citizens should be paying half the current bills.

The obvious answer is a tourist bed tax as QLDC have previously advocated for. News flash, it’s not going to happen. Not on PM Luxon’s watch as he flipflopped from “maybe” to a hard “no” last week. Not that it matters if it’s blue, green, red or yellow in the beehive. Our Central Government overlords will not allow us locals to collect a fair and targeted contribution from visitors. So, time to think outside of the square.

First up I propose a “Pee” Card. We have provided fantastic public toilet facilities very rarely used by residents. A Pee Card could identify who is local and who is a visitor. Locals free, tourists spend a ‘penny’. Our high-tech push-button door entry loos probably have the technology already within. Funds earmarked for sewage infrastructure.

Congestion charging for rental cars is my next proposal. All rental cars should be subject to congestion charges while spending more than 24 hours in The Basin. Easy to monitor with only 3 roads in or out. Any rental starting or ending in Queenstown has 24 hours before being charged for cluttering our streets and car parks. This is simply a continuation of the user pays system we are already subject to as locals, extended for tourists. Collected as a tariff from the rental companies. Easy. Money directed to improvements on QLDC roads and parking infrastructure.

Rubbish, unfortunately I can’t think of a way to charge for this at the bin. Suggestions welcome, but AirBnB might be an avenue. Guests are more likely to contaminate the recycle bins which compounds our collection services. If a bed tax is off the table, then all holiday accommodation units must be properly rated. No exemption with this ridiculous and impossible to police first 90 days free structure. It’s unfair on those who do register their holiday accommodation units legitimately with QLDC and pay extra rates for their honesty.

Every holiday accommodation unit must pay a pro-rata commercial (hotel) rate depending on number of nights tenanted. Holiday accommodation typically uses much more water, and waste services than the same property as a long-term rental. Additionally, they put demands on that infrastructure in more compressed time frames – congestion of sewers as a house load returns from the pubs on a night out. If residential houses are being rented commercially for short term accommodation, they must be charged accordingly. No exemptions. It’s time to stop the bleed on us locals.