Remarkables chairlift delay blamed on Doc
NZSKI chief executive Paul Anderson has confirmed a $16 million replacement chairlift at The Remarkables skifield in Queenstown will not be ready for this winter.
Speaking at the inaugural Otago Tourism Policy School conference in the resort on Friday morning, Mr Anderson reportedly said the lack of direction, support and certainty from the Department of Conservation meant the Sugar Basin chairlift would be delayed.
Media were not allowed to attend but University of Otago’s department of tourism, organis ing the summit, issued a press release.
‘‘Private sector participants can deal with whatever processes are put in front of us and we have a reasonable expectation that the processes will be well defined and certain,’’ Mr Anderson said.
‘‘A sure way to curtail investment in the sector is where uncertainty prevails and from conversations I’ve had with other operators, we’re not the only company to experience a lack of direction and certainty from Doc as they struggle to maintain their conservation and commercial imperatives.’’
A hearing of submissions on the plans for a sixseater Sugar Basin chairlift, revised ski trails and snowmaking equipment was held in December.
Concerns about the environmental impact of the work were raised at the hearing by botanist and University of Otago emeritus professor Sir Alan Mark and Forest & Bird OtagoSouthland central regional manager Sue Maturin.
NZSki has been waiting for a decision from Doc since then.
Mr Anderson, at the policy school summit, said the Government needed to recognise and act upon systemic failures.
He cited Queenstown Airport Corporation’s growth plans, which alarmed the community.
‘‘The local community said enough. What’s happening there is that the town simply can’t sustain compounding doubledigit tourism growth, and the economic benefits that brings, without much needed investment in core infrastructure so locals can preserve their quality of life’’.
He congratulated MBIE on the draft tourism strategy, but urged the Crown to set direction and show leadership on ‘‘the issues constraining us’’.
‘‘We need to be aggressive at holding the industry participants to account — both public and private sector — for delivering the goals.
‘‘This takes more than the agency CEOs coming together from time to time. This takes brave and committed political leadership. Further, MBIE needs to show leadership where other Government policy may be inconsistent.
‘‘We need appropriate institutional frameworks and decisionmakers prepared to make bold decisions and not simply reduce their own decisionmaking risks.’’