13 March 2024
Media: Local Democracy Reporter
Topic: Wasps
Enquiry
Following previous enquiries relating to concerns about a wasp nest on a vacant Ngongotaha section which the RLC regulatory team is arranging to have resolved, the reporter asked the following:
Can I ask for some info on how many nuisances have been identified in the last year, and generally what kind of things they cover, with a couple of examples?
Response
We provided the following information:
Rotorua Lakes Council received 66 ‘nuisance’ complaints during the last year covering a variety of issues including hoarding, offensive odours, overgrown sections and rat infestations. Please note that this is only the number of complaints received, not the number of complaints found to be verified cases of nuisance under the Health Act. It also does not include nuisances Council officers come across in their day-to-day work or any complaints not initially identified as a nuisance under the Health Act but subsequently verified as such.
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Media: Newsroom
Topic: Lakeland Queen business going into liquidation
Enquiry
Business Reporter requested a phone interview with Mayor Tapsell about the Lakeland Queen going into liquidation and provided the following base questions:
Is this outcome unexpected?
Was the Lakeland Queen a Rotorua icon?
Could more have been done by council and other groups to save it?
What does the liquidation mean for the council, will it be left to clean up the mess if the boat can’t be sold?
Does the Council plan on filing as a creditor?
Media attention around councillor Robert Lee centres on accusations the Ngāti Whakaue Gifted Reserves Protocol Committee had acted undemocratically in deciding the fate of the boat – keen to get the mayors view on that.
Also interested whether the council would seek similar terms re building jetty for anyone looking to takeover the business.
Response
Mayor Tapsell was interviewed this afternoon and made the following key points:
- Lakeland Queen has been a historical Rotorua tourism operator, well known to accommodate international guests, and a familiar icon in our lakefront area.
- Unfortunately Lakeland Queen was severely impacted by the pandemic and lockdowns and has been dry docked at Motutara Point since late October 2021.
- Deeply saddening time for the Lakeland Queen but there has been a consistent view that the boat cannot stay where it is.
- Council has without a doubt gone above and beyond to assist the operator to get back to business.
- While this has sadly been a challenging time for the Lakeland Queen, Rotorua has had a very busy summer period for tourism operators and in the past couple of years has seen multi-million dollar investments in the lakefront area – Wai Ariki Hot Springs & Spa, and QE Health, plus our own lakefront development.
The RLC organisation provided the following information, attributable to Stavros Michael, GM Infrastructure and Environment:
What does the liquidation mean for the council, will it be left to clean up the mess if the boat can’t be sold?
Removal of the vessel from its current site will be the liquidator’s responsibility. We will assist the liquidator if/as appropriate.
Does the Council plan on filing as a creditor?
Council waived charges for slippage of the vessel at its current site. Council will not be filing as a creditor.
We also reinforced that the question about terms for jetties is a question for the Te Arawa Lakes Trust which represents the interests of the owners of the lake bed.
And to assist/for background we provided the following links to previous media enquiries we have dealt with re Lakeland Queen and informed the reporter he was welcome to use any of the information we had provided in these:
2 February 2024 - Rotorua Lakes Council