This Friday morning community and business representatives from across the district will gather at Queenstown’s Village Green to express the "true crisis" the region is in — hopefully with Tourism Minister Stuart Nash present.
Queenstown resident and business owner Lou McDowell wrote to Mr Nash yesterday asking him to attend and "come and talk to us".
Under a heading "abandoned by our government", the letter said the group wanted a "proper conversation" with him, telling him they needed "a plan".
Ms McDowell’s letter said the business community had done "what we were told" and had "reimagined and pivoted".
She said businesses had already had the "tough conversations and made tough decisions", with some businesses closing their doors.
Last week, the Otago Daily Times reported about 60 businesses within the CBD did not expect to survive the next three months, according to a Queenstown Chamber of Commerce business confidence survey.
Ms McDowell, who owns Flame Bar & Grill, said across the resort staff hours had been slashed, some people were struggling to pay rent and support their families and mental health issues were on the rise.
"This is indeed a community in crisis.
"We want the Government to do something, anything.
"Stop telling us you can’t save every business — save our community.
"Please provide leadership, provide a plan ... this is our economic earthquake," the letter said.
Ms McDowell told the ODT the idea for the rally stemmed from comments on a Mountain Scene social media post last week.
"I’m not an activist at all — I’ve never done anything like this before [but] I felt, personally, [the message] was falling on deaf ears.
"What people don’t realise, the Labour government is about people more than businesses, and there’s a downstream effect, which is affecting the very community.
"Yes, as businesses, we’re all struggling terribly — we’ve put everything we’ve got into it — but ... there’s actually a whole community that’s been affected."
She had subsequently spoken to Southland MP Joseph Mooney who agreed to lead the rally, and would be sending a formal invitation to Mr Nash.
Ms McDowell said she was "very hopeful" Mr Nash would attend.
The rally is being held at 10.30am on Friday.
