The Queenstown Lakes District Council is seeking an explanation and apology from Telecom New Zealand, after the company launched an unfounded attack on the Council before a Government Select Committee, QLDC Mayor Clive Geddes said.

"The minute record of this hearing shows that Telecom gave evidence that the Council was 'subject to lobbying from a developer and failed to process the (Telecom) application'. This is a gross misrepresentation of the matter," Mr Geddes said.

The Council had written to both the Local Government and Environment Select Committee chairwoman Jeanette Fitzsimons and to Telecom.

"We have advised the Select Committee that Telecom has submitted information which is not an accurate representation of the hearing conducted by this Council," Mr Geddes said.

The 'lobbying' to which Telecom referred was in fact the Council adhering to the Resource Management Act by consulting with its community through the public notification of Telecom's application. This was done on the basis that the proposed site was within an area deemed by the Environment Court to be an Outstanding Natural Landscape.

"The Council hearing minutes reflect that Council's hearing panel shared the submitters concern about the negative impact on the landscape and the lack of consideration given by Telecom to less intrusive sites and its unwillingness to share an already established site with Vodaphone," Mr Geddes said.

Telecom subsequently revised its inferior analysis of site selection and found an alternative, less obtrusive site, for which it was granted consent.

The Council was seeking an explanation and apology from Telecom as to why it had falsely criticised the Council for the so-called poor execution of its duties under the Resource Management Act.

"The Council is extremely concerned about this matter. This is New Zealand's largest company representing the consultation processes required by notified applications as 'lobbying' which has resulted in it placing false evidence before a Select Committee," Mr Geddes said.

ENDS

For further information please contact Clive Geddes 441 0499

By: Tamah