Dear Editor,
Whats the story with the staff at NZ Immigration - Remarkables Park? I went there this week to enquire about a visa extention & instead was given a whole heap of abuse by some pencil pusher who obviously feels his position of power entitles him to be an a**hole! Its daunting enough when your sorting out stuff like this as there is always a possibility of having your application rejected etc. Talking to at least 5 other people since, they have all had similar experiences there and all with the same member of staff it seems (male, short dark hair & glasses). Surely NZ Immigration has had complaints about this fella?

Dear Editor,

Its currently 4 months till the worlds biggest competition starts - The football world cup. I’m hoping that I will be able to watch any game at any time in a pub of my choosing in Queenstown, however during the last World Cup here, I think only 3 places were allowed to show games. This is because it would appear the council didn’t think it was important enough of an event to grant licenses to any pub that didn’t have a 24 hour license already. Now the licenses are even stricter with 4am closing times that puts a lot of games in jeapordy. With the mighty All Whites in this years competition the powers that be might see it differently, I fear not and I will have to watch the games at home. Having so many different nationalities in town the world cup should be celebrated and embraced, it will be so much fun, if we are allowed to have it that is. I know I’m not the only person that feels this way, so will we be able to watch the world cup in town?

Dear Editor,

The traffic travelling through the round-about at Stanley and Shotover St needs some policing, especially from 3-5.30pm. I know everyone is in a hurry to get home from work but come on - when you can see ahead that Stanley St is blocked with cars waiting to get through, why the hell do motorists insist on driving around the roundabout when there is nowhere to go? All they do is block up the road for all the other motorists! So next time you have to use this round-about or in fact any round-a-bout, look first and use your brain, before putting yourself and the rest of us in danger. Maybe the police or council should take time to observe the mayhem that continues day after day! How about some instant fines?

Dear Editor,

My complaint is about the attitude of the young male population in Queenstown. As a long time married local female, I find it appalling the behavior of some of these testosterone fuelled boys. I understand there are a lot of tourists passing through, here for a fun time not a long time but that does not make the whole town a ‘meat market’. Just cause a woman wants to wear a ‘snug’ top does not mean she wants you to speak to her chest and when it’s hot, I wear a short skirt to keep cool, not for your viewing pleasure. I’m a firm believer that if you’ve got it - flaunt it, but after a few weekends out and about I’m re-considering swapping my attire for slacks and a turtleneck! Sure – a lot of people tell me I’m good looking but I don’t think my fortunate looks are an excuse to go around pinching my bum all night.

Whilst I do note that NZski have spent a huge amount of money over the last couple of years on Coronet Peak to make the mountain more enjoyable, supposedly, it also has made the mountains capacity increase aswell. Which whilst great from their perspective, is not so great from mine, more people on a mountain of the same size at a more expensive place, in effect, a smaller area for me to ski on, so it’s heartbreaking to learn that I won’t be able to afford a season’s pass this year. I’ve watched season passes increase in value steadily enough over the last 5 years whilst watching the amount of people who can’t ski that well (yet) on the mountain increase as well with the increased learners area, the better base building for lattes and lunches, then you get told off for just wanting to ski your normal style - “you’re going too fast” “slow down” ok sure there are other people on the mountain, I agree. But I am not going to pay $800, which is a huge amount of money in anybodies terms, to ski on a mountain (Coronet Peak) which pretty much caters to the learners, yes NZSKI I am aware that X% of the mountain is intermediate and advanced, I don’t really want to know the statistics, what I want is an affordable pass at a mountain where I can ski the way I want without being mollycuddled by people who think they are the worlds greatest skiers and boarders because they work on a mountain. And NZSKI, whilst I am sorry to say it, that after being a life-long supporter of Coronet Peak, you’ve finally chased me away with your money grabbing ways and your failure to look after your bread and butter, so with that NZSKI, I bid you farewell, and will take my hard earned money to Cardrona and spend my winter there.

Could the Council have planned a worse road for industrial needs? Big trucks zooming down Glenda drive, parked cars on both sides so close to every entrance of every business that coming into the street is a constant nightmare. The irony is behind all that cramped industrial development is nothing but space for Africa and entering rt 6 (Frankton road from Glenda drive is aweful at rush hour. When is that new road going to happen? After they finish upgrading the beach front? And why have they decided to do this in the middle of summer?!

Recently I was sitting outside enjoying a nice lunch at Montys Restaurant and noticed countless pedestrians trip or twist their ankles on the uneven footpath along the stretch of pavement from Air New Zealand down towards the lakefront. The footpath here is so shoddy and dangerous and I’m sure many people have suffered not just a swollen ankle but the embarrassment ofnearly hitting the deck in front of the casual diners and drinkers at Montys or Dux de Lux. The pavement has been like this for as long as I can remember, is the Council ever going to take action to fix this?

‘J’

Dear Editor

I love the clean tidy green image of Queenstown. However the new flashpacker/backpacker’s is making me cringe every time I go through this part of town. This display of their laundry on the glass balustrades in full view of Queenstown’s public is making the place look like a low class laundry mat. Do the backpackers not provide their paying guests with a laundry inside? Do they not provide dryers or environmentally friendly clothes airers - that cost nothing to use? I really do believe that we shouldn’t have to teach the young backpackers how to treat the towns that they stay in with respect, or not to spoil the view for others, or do we need to? I do love having a high standard look of the backpackers in Queenstown. I know they contribute to the community.

Dear Editor

We recently enjoyed five lovely, relaxing days in Queenstown and were very impressed with the beauty, the activities and facilities available, excellent cafes and restaurants and kind, friendly, cosmopolitan people. We also stayed in excellent accomodation at the town end of Frankton Road.... there was only one problem! My husband needs a mobility scooter and he rode down the ramp off the footpath on Frankton Road and found that there was no ramp from the road to the footpath off any other road at that intersection, which is where Sydney Street, Brisbane Street, Park Street and Coronation Road meet Frankton Road. He was mobile enough to get off the mobility scooter and with much effort, and my help, lift the awkward, heavy scooter up on to the kerb.

Dear Editor

Being a regular user of the Frankton Track - as both a cyclist and pedestrian - it has enabled me to undertake an analysis of the track dynamics and user interaction. Whilst I enjoy the track for long walks with my mother, catching up on the weeks events, I also enjoy the track as a cyclist for a safe alternative to the busy roads.