A former Dunedin infrastructure manager who quit in the wake of the city council's Citifleet scandal is filling a gap in Queenstown.
The Queenstown Lakes District Council's planning department has been under strain - not only because of the resort's housing and development boom but with resignations, including general manager Marc Bretherton's last week.
Queenstown council chief executive Adam Feeley confirmed former Dunedin City Council staffer Tony Avery had been appointed to manage the team for six months until a new general manager was recruited.
Mr Avery quit his Dunedin City Council position in 2014 in the wake of the Citifleet scandal despite having no knowledge of the $1.5million fraud.
He spent 15 years working for the DCC in various roles.
Since February, he has been running his own consultancy firm.
Mr Feeley said Mr Avery was consulting to several other councils including the Otago Regional Council and Clutha District.
''Because of his existing commitments, Tony will be with QLDC three days a week from the end of this month,'' he said.
Several senior staff at the QLDC have resigned, including the mayor's husband, Peter Laurenson, who was building services boss.
Mr Bretherton is off to work for major local developer Winton Partners.
-by Paul Taylor
