An event to welcome newcomers to Queenstown Lakes held last Thursday (June 9) marked an important stepping stone for the district, Queenstown Lakes District Council says.

QLDC community partnerships manager Marie Day said information gathered at the hui, which attracted over 130 people, provides useful context to help inform council’s ‘Welcome Plan’ as part of its ‘Welcoming Communities’ programme.

“The ideas gathered from this event will feed into an initial community stocktake, which will include considerations such as how council services can better meet the needs of everyone in our community and how we can improve connections,” Marie said. 

Welcoming Communities is a four-step programme which supports and celebrates councils which have taken specific action to make their communities more welcoming to newcomers.

Representatives from iwi, a newcomer group, key stakeholder managers and QLDC elected members and staff took part in the hui to learn about and share ways to support newcomers to feel welcome and able to participate in the economic, civic, cultural and social life of the district.

Local kaumātua Darren Rewi opened the hui with a karakia followed by a welcome from mayor Jim Boult and presentations from Immigration New Zealand and QLDC, before the attendees settled into smaller groups to discuss ideas around supporting new residents.

Mayor Jim Boult said he was thrilled to see such a high turnout.

“I’ve long said that the richness and diversity of our communities are our strength,” he said. 

“To see so many ethnicities that share a passion for this district join together in one room to share ideas and experiences was a reflection of how true that is.”

QLDC welcoming communities coordinator Silvia Dancose thanked everyone who took part in the “very special evening”, which took place at the Queenstown Events Centre.

“It was fabulous to see people come together to mingle and get to know each other, from our migrant community group leaders to organisations like Red Cross and NZ Police,” she said. 

Silvia also highlighted the hui being a great opportunity to launch a Māori, Pasifika and Newcomer Profile booklet, a component of the Welcoming Communities programme.

“I was very proud to present our first edition of a collection of profiles, showcasing the cultural diversity that adds character to our community. I’m delighted to share this work with the 21 community groups we collaborated with over the past three months and with our wider community,” she said.

Anyone keen to take a look at the booklet can find it at the council’s website.

PHOTO: QLDC