The only Romney left in Hanley’s Farm is the one the road is named after.
Yet, as far as the Government is concerned, Queenstown’s largest housing development, which totals about 1750 sections beside Jack’s Point, is still farmland.
Also deemed still to be "rural", as far as the Ministry of Social Development is concerned, are Shotover Country, Lake Hayes Estate, Lake Hawea, Wanaka and, remarkably, said Salvation Army Queenstown community ministries director Andrew Wilson, all of Invercargill.
As such, any of those residents qualify for about a third less in Accommodation Supplement payments than residents living in areas deemed "urban".
Following the launch of the "#peepsnotsheeps" petition to Parliament, yesterday morning, Mr Wilson, dressed as a cow, outgoing Queenstown Lakes Mayor Jim Boult, in a sheep costume, and Southland MP Joseph Mooney — dressed as Joseph the shepherd — skydived with NZONE, landing on Te Kura Whakatipu o Kawarau’s field, right in the middle of Hanley’s Farm to draw further attention to it.
"If someone moves from Frankton to [Hanley’s Farm], they’re going to get roughly a third of the support they would otherwise get.
"All of us have been hearing from families who are really struggling when they discover that, and it puts a lot of pressure on them."
In "urban" areas, like Fernhill-Sunshine Bay, Queenstown, Frankton, Arrowtown and Arthurs Point, a family with one child or more can access up to $305 a week. In "rural" area it is $120.
For a single person, there is a $95 difference, from $165 in an urban area to $70 in a rural one.
Mr Boult said the trio had come to the conclusion "somebody in the North Island drew the maps up and did not get this right".
He wanted as many people as possible to sign the petition so Government would take the matter seriously, do something and "stop fobbing us off".
"Basically, they’ve been patting us on the head and telling us to sit in the corner and wait ... we want it sorted now, please."
Mr Wilson said the situation was not unique to Queenstown, given the urban spread which had taken place all over New Zealand in the past 30 years, which was when the urban boundaries were last defined.
"... The legislation is so outdated now that places all around the country are in the same boat as us."
He pointed to Invercargill — residents there were treated like anyone living on farmland elsewhere in New Zealand, despite paying the same rents as people in Oamaru, for example.
