Mark Quickfall
The deal between the Queenstown Airport Corporation (QAC)
and Auckland International Airport Ltd (AIAL) was aired at an
invitation-only meeting in Queenstown on Thursday.
Destination Queenstown chairman Mark Quickfall said he
chaired the three-hour meeting attended by about 30 people at
the Heritage hotel.
The QAC, owned by the Queenstown Lakes District Council, sold
24.99% of the corporation to AIAL for $27.7 million.
The deal was announced publicly on July 8.
Mr Quickfall said Destination Queenstown's strategic review
board called the meeting to promote "mature debate" between
key stakeholders and community representatives.
The board's job was to look at any strategic issues affecting
Queenstown.
"The board decided that the airport issue is a strategic
issue for Queenstown of national importance.
We thought it would be useful to call together key
stakeholders, industry representatives, the council,
Queenstown Airport Corporation and Auckland International
Airport and discuss the issues," he said.
AIA chief executive Simon Moutter, QAC chief executive Mark
Taylor and QLDC chief executive Debra Lawson attended the
meeting to listen to the discussion and answer any questions.
"People had a lot of questions and they got the feedback they
required. There were people for the transaction and people
there that are opposed to it," he said.
"It was important to have constructive information in a forum
where people could ask questions and have an open and frank
discussion," he said.
QAC and QLDC were obligated to consult the public before
proceeding with any further transactions with AIA, he said.
AIAL is seeking to increase its interest in Queenstown
Airport to as much as a 35% shareholding.
The first phase of share issues to AIA was a done deal, but
the Queenstown community could have a say in the second
phase, Mr Quickfall said.
"The second phase cannot take place before full consultation
with the community. That's not going to happen this side of
the election [in October]."
The board would hold similar meetings in the coming months to
continue the "sensible debate" to ensure the best outcome for
the Queenstown community.
The Queenstown Community Strategic Asset Group was
established to oppose the deal.
Spokesman John Martin said he and Richard Mehrtens
represented the group at the meeting.
"We didn't get to speak but we did have a chance to ask
questions at the question-and-answer session," he said.
An "overwhelming" response at the meeting was that the deal
should not proceed, he said.
The group was considering its position.
"We are trying to get all the information about the deal and
to date through the Official Information Act we have been
unsuccessful so we are considering what to do.
"We have had a lot of legal advice and there are courses of
action open to us," he said.
He declined to say what they were.
The Office of the Auditor-general had not responded to its
request to review the deal.
The strategic review board
-
Among the members of the board are the following. -Queenstown
Lakes Mayor Clive Geddes and two councillors.
- The Destination Queenstown board of directors.
- Representatives from organisations including the Queenstown
Chamber of Commerce, Tourism New Zealand, Queenstown Airport
Corporation, the police, accommodation providers; and
industry sectors including hospitality, ski, retail, real
estate conference and trades.
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