Mackenzie District Council has welcomed the Government’s announcement of $2.5 million from the International Visitor Levy (IVL) to support improvements to public toilet infrastructure across the district.
Mayor Scott Aronsen said the announcement recognised both the importance of the Mackenzie District to New Zealand’s visitor economy and the unique funding pressures faced by communities with small ratepayer bases and high visitor numbers.
“We welcome the Government’s commitment and its recognition that districts like Mackenzie face unique challenges in providing infrastructure that is used by large numbers of visitors.
This investment is an important step towards creating a fairer and more sustainable way of funding public facilities that benefit both visitors and our local communities.”
The funding provides Council with the opportunity to introduce user-pays at appropriate public toilet facilities and replace the main public toilet block in Tekapo/Takapō. Council will now work with affected communities on implementation, while also confirming co-funding arrangements and undertaking detailed planning.
Mayor Scott Aronsen said the announcement reflected years of advocacy by current and former mayors, councillors, staff and the wider local government sector, who have consistently highlighted the funding pressures experienced by high-visitation districts.
“Tourism is incredibly important to the Mackenzie District and to New Zealand’s economy. We want visitors to continue enjoying high-quality public facilities, but we also need a funding model that is fair for our communities.
Our public toilet network is used an estimated one million times each year, with the overwhelming majority of those users being visitors.
This year alone Council has budgeted approximately $811,000 to clean, maintain and operate public toilets across the district. Without alternative funding, those costs fall directly on local ratepayers.
"On average, that equates to approximately $150 per year for each rateable property in the Mackenzie to help fund facilities that are used predominantly by visitors.
Introducing user-pays at appropriate locations means visitors can contribute towards the services they use. It creates a fairer and more sustainable funding model while helping reduce the financial burden on local ratepayers.”
Council will now begin detailed planning for the programme and work alongside communities as implementation plans are developed.
This work will include confirming co-funding arrangements, identifying priorities for upgrades and conversions, considering the most appropriate locations for user-pays facilities, and engaging with affected communities on how the projects will be delivered.
“We know local residents also use many of these facilities, and working with our communities will be an important part of implementing the programme successfully.”
Mayor Aronsen said today’s announcement was an important step towards a more sustainable funding model, while Council would continue advocating for long-term funding tools that better reflect the costs of supporting New Zealand’s visitor economy.
“We look forward to working with our communities and with Government to deliver these projects and continue building a fairer funding model for the future.”
Further information on project timing and community engagement opportunities will be released as planning progresses.