The council and its safety work around its waterways came under fire during the process of developing a new Otago Regional Council bylaw around navigation on coastal areas and Lake Dunstan.
Waterways in the Queenstown Lakes area are governed by the district council, under an agreement with the regional council more than 20 years ago over the coverage of waterways.
Submitter Katie McNabb said in the submission process for the new navigation bylaw there was a need for the delegation rules given to the Queenstown Lakes District Council around navigation to return to the regional council.
For the safety of water users in the area, delegation must be removed from the district council and it was ‘‘about saving lives’’, she said.
Ms McNabb had been recognised as an expert witness in the Environment Court since 2002.
The existing arrangement had the district council contracted to a third party, an external provider, rather than directly employing a harbourmaster, she said.
She described this as ‘‘an extraordinary arrangement with no guarantees of quality, qualifications of staff, of service and/or responsibility to the delegation from the regional council’’.
A district council spokesperson said the harbourmaster service combined internal management and oversight with delivery through external contractors.
‘‘Personnel undertaking this function on QLDC waterways are warranted harbourmasters. They are appropriately qualified and certified under Maritime NZ frameworks. Qualified personnel are available 24/7 with on-call coverage to respond to incidents and safety matters as required.’’
Representatives were active members of the national harbourmasters group and safer boating forum.
The spokesperson said harbourmaster function had historically been delivered through a contracted model.
Marty Black was the long time harbourmaster in Queenstown, employed under a contract with Southern Monitoring Services , the council said.
The overall delivery model had remained consistent although providers had changed over time.
‘‘This approach reflects a deliberate decision by QLDC to deliver a flexible and scalable service, particularly during peak seasonal demand, in a cost-effective way, the spokesperson said.
‘‘Public safety on our waterways remains a priority for council.’’
