Easter Trading, health, regulations and council, and environmental concerns are the key issues for Miles Anderson, Member of Parliament for Waitaki - the Upper Clutha’s local MP - said at the official opening of his office upstairs in Spencer House Mall, on Dunmore Street, on Friday (November 22).

Establishing an office in Wānaka represented his commitment to the region, Miles said, and would help in his advocacy for local constituents and local causes with ministers and government departments.

“Any issues, bring them along … that’s the idea of the office, [because] if I don't know about them, I can't do anything about them.”

Miles said the concerns raised by locals were many and varied but currently the primary issues included health, regulations and council, and the Easter Trading Bill.

He plans to circulate a survey around local businesses and community places before Christmas to gauge local views about Easter trading.

Miles said he understands there is some frustration about the trading law, particularly when large crowds come to Wānaka for Warbirds and businesses “feel they miss out”, but added he is equally aware that others believe “it’s only one day a year, why do we need to commercialise it.”

While there are views from either end of the spectrum, the survey would guide him to vote “the way the electorate wishes me to vote”, he said.

Environmental concerns, particularly the spread of pests across Department of Conservation (DOC) land, were also a major issue.

Miles said he was surprised by the number and range of concerns regarding DOC land management, from leases and concessions to accusations of being a ‘bad neighbour’.

“They've certainly built up to a crescendo in the last couple of months,” he said, conceding that the department could do better. 

“For example, Makarora’s Blue Pools bridges were supposed to have been completed for the tourist season but it doesn't look like they're going to be done till the end of February.” 

Miles has also submitted a bill to Parliament to be drawn by ballot, titled the Wilding Conifer Control Act. He said the rapid spread of these pest species (expanding by an estimated 90,000 trees each year) is damaging the environment and the economy.

Biodiversity under a pine canopy is minimal and the impact of an estimated 2.5M hectares of thirsty wilding pines on arid regions of Canterbury and Central Otago, for example, is to the detriment of New Zealand’s power-generating lakes, he said.

Left unchecked, these wildings flourish, particularly on DOC land, and “gobble up” water usually stored in hydro lakes, like Pukaki, he said. 

“[DOC does] have a hard job, because there's eight million hectares of New Zealand that are under DOC control,” he said. 

“I guess we're looking to try and get DOC more focused on the core business. I've certainly elevated these concerns to the minister.”

Miles has one of the largest (geographical) constituencies in the country and spends much of his time between his offices, in Wellington, Oamaru, and now Wānaka, but he intends to be in Wānaka “every other week”.

His office will be open at least four days a week and local resident and firefighter Rob Thorp will be the main point of contact when Miles is away from Wānaka. 

Rob Thorp will operate the Wānaka office when the MP is out of town.

Rob said he’s paid by Parliament, not the National Party, to ensure issues and concerns raised about central government are heard in Parliament.

He said he’s also there to help with immigration, ACC, education and health issues, as well as helping people with family or work issues to negotiate government departments, such as Work and Income and Inland Revenue.

PHOTOS: Wānaka App