Last night, Wānaka Stakeholders Group Inc. held it’s Annual General Meeting. The following is the Chair’s Report to Members, from WSG Chair Meg Taylor. It summarises the last year’s activities and the current challenges very well indeed.

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2025 Annual General Meeting of Wānaka Stakeholders Group Inc. 
Wānaka Community Hub, 7pm Tuesday 20th May 2025

Chair’s Annual Report to Members

“It is my view that the formation and actions of WSG have helped strengthen awareness not just of the airport issue in our community but of the vital importance of local democracy and holding local government to account. The enhanced level of political awareness to be found now in the Upper Clutha would not exist had it not been for the actions of WSG. That is why, notwithstanding the Judicial Review win, it is so important for WSG members to remain connected, engaged and aware as democracy is an unceasing and dynamic process. As the saying goes, ‘the price of freedom is eternal vigilance’ “

This was sound advice from Wanaka Stakeholders Group’s previous chair Michael Ross, back in 2022, following our High Court win.

Essentially the period since then has been one of watching and waiting and the core of WSG have continued to monitor policy around Wanaka Airport. We have had minor wins, but have continued to be frustrated. Queenstown Airport Corporation may no longer “own” or have a 100 year lease over Wanaka Airport but it manages the airport for a sizable (non-disclosed) fee, it has strong guiding influence over future planning and it has a major land holding adjacent to the airport. There is no regular financial reporting publicly available for the airport, and Council has resisted providing this. Most importantly, there is still no governance in place for Wanaka Airport which gives the Upper Clutha community any significant say in its future planning.

Nevertheless for a few short years it has seemed relatively quiet on the airport front.

Now, however, it appears plans for Wānaka Airport are taxiing towards take-off again.

Council is proceeding with what they call a “dual process” – an application for Qualifying Aerodrome Certification and a Wānaka Airport Future Review, both to be completed by 2027. The QA certification commits the airport to considerable expenditure (11 million plus) and enhances safety but also allows for airport capability for increased small domestic flights. While it would be nice to think that this is simply a matter of ensuring much needed upgrades to the aerodrome, the narrative around this project is murky. 

Essentially Part 139 Certification has been aspired to since 2008 to enable more scheduled flights into Wanaka Airport. Air New Zealand’s fairly quick retreat from NZWF stalled this. But in 2023 an aerodrome study was conducted by Quality Aviation Consulting at the request of QLDC (at the request of CAA). In the absence of an up-to-date master plan, the study focused on the certification level appropriate to a predicted increase in daily flights. By the end of 2023 Council announced that Wānaka Airport required Certification as a Qualifying Aerodrome and that work on this would begin along with a new Wanaka Airport master plan.

As WSG members know, we do not have a fixed position on increased numbers of scheduled flights, other than limiting these to non-jet aircraft. Our position has always been that significant changes to activities at Wanaka Airport should be a matter for public debate and Upper Clutha decision-making.

What does concern us is that while safety and efficiency is an important consideration, Council and QAC have been consistently working to expand the airport and enable increased commercial flights ahead of consultation with the public and before the Wanaka Airport Future Review (or master plan). QLDC is asking the Upper Clutha community what it wants to happen at the airport, but risks pre-determining that outcome.

We have obtained correspondence from 2022, under LGOIMA, between Council staff, QAC and CAA, which clearly suggests increased commercial flights at Wanaka Airport as a rationale for applying for Certification and which also advises that this should not be made public for some time due to the potential reaction. 

What is the Wanaka Airport Future Review?

QLDC has hired two key consultancies and an aviation expert to look at future options for the airport, consult strategically and present these options to the public.

Egis is a French multinational corporation with 2.2 billion in turnover which owns or manages some 20 airports around the world, in Belgium, France, Africa, Brazil, the Middle East and Tahiti. “Our Group’s overall objective is to reach a turnover of 4 billion euros by 2029 and to become one of the world’s top 10 construction companies.” Isthmus is a substantial New Zealand environment and urban planning consultancy working on varied projects; the Mt Messenger Bypass road, new housing and town centre planning and Auckland Airport arrivals and departures landscaping, to name a few.

We understand these companies have been instructed to consult with a selected list of “stakeholders” before going out to the Queenstown Lakes community. It is not yet clear the form that wider community consultation will take. Egis have invited myself as Chair of WSG to attend and participate in a small advisory group, with a first meeting 21 May so we may learn more if this progresses.

Our vision – a better Wanaka Airport for the Upper Clutha

2025-2026 are going to be decisive years for the future of our airport. It is important that everyone in the Upper Clutha carefully considers what they think is the best strategy for our local airport and for this community over the next 5-10-15 years. It’s essential that we have the information needed for informed choices and that there is widespread local input into airport consultation.

With this in mind and to spark debate we are presenting a vision which better reflects the airport’s role in the Upper Clutha community. This draft community vision for the future of Wanaka Airport has been and is subject to ongoing consultation.

Two principles are foundational.

1. A Community airport with strong local governance

Wanaka Airport needs robust governance and the Upper Clutha community should have a determining role on its governing board. Until this is established the Upper Clutha really has very little say in what direction our airport takes and it is inevitable that Wanaka Airport risks being seen as a useful overflow site for Queenstown airport – being run as part of a “dual airport strategy,” with QAC strongly motivating direction.

There is no lack of either governance or aviation experience in the Upper Clutha required to achieve this. If Wanaka Airport is governed by a board that genuinely represents Upper Clutha communities (as happens at a number of overseas airports such as Aspen, Jackson Hole, Telluride or Vail) then Wanaka airport could be managed and planned for with confidence. We could invest in its future knowing that the community affected, our community, are the ultimate decision-makers.

2. Separation from Queenstown Airport Corporation

• Queenstown Airport Corporation has more say in future planning for Wanaka Airport than the Upper Clutha community does. There is only one community representative on the largely ineffective Wanaka Airport Liaison Committee. It’s worth noting that under Qualifying Aerodrome Certification a suggestion is for the CEO of Queenstown Airport to be the CEO of Wanaka Airport.
• The lack of public financials for Wanaka Airport means that QAC’s management success or otherwise is hidden from public view.  
• QAC still owns 149 ha of land adjacent to Wanaka Airport (resulting in an undisclosed split of the NASA fee between Wanaka Airport and QAC).
• QAC (together with its 25% shareholder Auckland airport) appears to have undue influence on future planning for the airport.
• Oversight of QAC management of Wanaka Airport by the majority of QLDC councillors is limited and does not reflect Upper Clutha interests.

The Wanaka Airport Community Vision

Our document is still in draft consultation form, but we are presenting it now so as to maximise the opportunity for evaluation and debate on this important issue for the Upper Clutha. We are keen to hear from you, so get in touch to let us know your suggestions and your views on the Wanaka Airport Community Vision.