Concerns have been raised about the fairness of access to the public forum at Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) meetings.

Last week Hāwea Community Association chair Cherilyn Walthew asked council staff if she was able to attend the Thursday (August 10) council meeting via video link, in order to present a statement at public forum about one of the agenda items.

Public forums, which usually take place at the start of a meeting, are a formal opportunity for the public to bring issues to the attention of the council or community board.

Council’s standing orders allow a period of up to 30 minutes (or longer if the meeting determines) for the public forum at each meeting. Speakers can speak for up to three minutes.

Council meetings often include people attending to speak via video link, but Cherilyn was told she must attend the public forum in person.

HCA chair Cherilyn Walthew: “Why do ratepayers have to drag their butts to Queenstown?” PHOTO: Supplied

“...the only way I can make a presentation is by attending the meeting in person, would require me to make a three hour round trip for three minutes of the elected council’s time,” she wrote in an email to councillors and staff last week. 

“There is also the addition of parking in Central Queenstown, lost earnings as a self-employed person, and money for petrol.

“I don’t think this meets the criteria of “accessible” or is in line with any Climate Action Plans QLDC are working towards.”

Cherilyn said in her email she was “extremely disappointed” with the decision to refuse her access via video link.

“I know the video link technology is available as it’s been used in other forums. Neither can I see anything in the Standing Orders that would prevent this from happening.

“I am very surprised at this stance given the current debate of the accessibility of council and elected members for Upper Clutha ratepayers to have meaningful interactions.”

She told the Wānaka App the decision to deny her access to a video link “was bounced all the way up to the CEO [Mike Theelen]”.

“Why are we not allowing ratepayers to submit by video link? Why do they have to drag their butts to Queenstown? It’s just unreasonable.”

A QLDC spokesperson told the Wānaka App that at mayor Glyn Lewers’ discretion, council staff offered Cherilyn to provide a written statement to be read out by a staff member during public forum.

“The offer was accepted and Ms Walthew’s statement was read out at the meeting” he said.

“Council’s general preference is that public forum presentations are made in person; similar requests from others in the past have also been declined. 

“We will always endeavour to provide an alternative in such instances, and have done so previously, and the mayor – as chair – can exercise discretion.”

One recent public forum attendee could claim to have even more reason to be aggrieved than Cherilyn.

Lifelong Glendhu Bay camper Doug Fraser drove for five hours in April this year to attend a council meeting (April 27) in Queenstown to raise his concerns about the council’s sale of campgrounds.

He told councillors he had driven five hours (from Southland) to attend the meeting and had prepared a five minute presentation (based on his understanding of standing orders).

He was told he was only allowed three minutes, and this time limit was enforced by mayor Glyn Lewers.

“If a group wants to address a specific matter, another alternative is to request a ‘deputation’ under standing orders which does allow five minutes and can be seen more as representing the views of an entity,” the QLDC spokesperson told the Wānaka App.

QLDC requires anyone who wishes to speak in the public forum to register with the governance team at least three hours before the meeting starts if the meeting falls in the morning or two hours before the meeting starts if the meeting falls in the afternoon.

Read more: Council limits public forum