More than $60,000 has been spent by the Queenstown Lakes District Council in legal fees and litigation costs between January 1 and February 28 over the controversial strategic alliance between Queenstown and Auckland Airports.
Corporate and Regulatory Services general manager Roger Taylor told the Otago Daily Times last night, the council had spent $386,199.73 to February 28, 2011.
The alliance, announced last July, came to the attention of the High Court in August, after the Queenstown Community Strategic Asset Group and Air New Zealand lodged independent, but related, applications seeking a judicial review and an injunction to stop the issue of any further shares.
The council engaged Simpson Grierson, of Wellington, to act on its behalf in the matter. By mid-November the council had spent more than $120,136.89, which grew to $183,000 by mid-December and had almost doubled, reaching $320,000 by December 31.
The costs are attributed to any form of work charged by a lawyer, which could include providing advice to the council, attendance at meetings and litigation costs of court action.
The council will be discussing the "present status of the litigation" relating to the Queenstown Airport Corporation at a public excluded meeting in the resort tomorrow.
