What we're working on for this week's Friday Edition

• We’ve been watching (in detail) the inner workings of Queenstown airport over the past seven years and document how a new CEO and supportive board have engineered something of a masterwork of positive culture, good financial management, transparency, safety and genuine community connections. Our feature this week explains how they did it and how important this example is in the world of Southern Lakes local politics and local business.
• The Ombudsman is investigating two complaints linked to what Gibbston residents claim is action by mayor Glyn Lewers to prevent them speaking as part of QLDC’s public forum council sessions. We have the full text of the complaints that reveal a potential conflict of interest involving the mayor’s prior relationship with property consultants who have worked on the Gibbston fast tracked housing plans.
• QLDC CEO Mike Theelen writes a stinging letter to Crux accusing us of “having scant regard for the truth” and threatening that the council will “cease engagement with you.” He says our questions are upsetting his comms staff. In an in-depth analysis we look at the possibility that we are seeing the start of an end game for the Lewers/Theelen dynasty as the sewage crisis deepens and more facts emerge from the ORC court case. We also remind readers of the dismal track record that has seen over $300 million charged to ratepayers from questionable, wasteful or downright wrong QLDC decisions - none of which have been admitted to, or apologised for, by Theelen, Boult or Lewers. Surely it has to stop?
• We love new cycle trails - and so do our readers. But there’s something unusual going on with the Southern Lakes Trails Trust. In spite of a trustee board of wealthy and well connected people, and being a registered charity, they have refused to speak with Crux for years and managed to raise only $3,063 in public donations during the most recent financial year. But they are paying $200,000 a year to a CEO with some part time support. They are spending $10 million on the new Queenstown to Cromwell Kawarau Gorge trail. Where does their money come from and what have they got to hide?
• The Managing Director of an Australian company writes a guest commentary piece that argues for more community based wastewater treatment. He says councils are getting it all wrong by building just one large vulnerable plant. His arguments make sense and we think you’ll enjoy reading about the detail of this alternate approach that could help with our own housing/sewage challenges.

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