Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) mayor Glyn Lewers has welcomed last week’s Budget announcement of a new regional infrastructure fund and national infrastructure agency.

“The establishment of a national infrastructure agency is a positive step to address the nationwide deficits in infrastructure strategy, planning, funding, design and procurement,” Glyn said.

“I look forward to seeing it up and running." 

Glyn has previously said the district has been dealing with underinvestment in infrastructure for the past 30 years - which is now a nationwide issue for local government.

He says Queenstown Lakes’ unique position as the country’s leading, year-round tourism destination with only a small ratepayer base to fund it puts immense pressure on the council and ratepayers.

Glyn told a Wānaka Business Chamber meeting in May that the district has been the fastest-growing region in the country since 1996, with nine percent growth in Queenstown and five percent in Wānaka last year.

The district has enough zoned land for development for 30 years, but there is not enough infrastructure in the ground to service it, he said.

There are “some pretty serious things the government needs to invest in around here”, QLDC mayor Glyn Lewers says. PHOTO: Supplied

The change in government last year prompted a December directive to bring the proposed Three Waters reform back inside councils in their 10-year forecast.

Glyn said this put a “big strain on our property and infrastructure team”, and the focus this year would be on a ‘keep the lights on’ budget committed to essential works.

Late last year an outbreak of illness emphasised the need to urgently source protozoa barriers for the district’s water supplies to protect against cryptosporidium. This work had been planned since 2019 but postponed amid the need to invest in wastewater upgrades first. 

As the Queenstown Lakes population continues to grow, there are “some pretty serious things the government needs to invest in around here”, Glyn said.

Like former mayor Jim Boult, Glyn has actively pursued alternative funding for infrastructure, including a visitor levy - or bed tax.

“QLDC is actively engaging with government on the regional infrastructure fund,” Glyn said last week, adding that it was too early in that process to determine any local outcomes.