Of the $300,000 the group receives to fight wilding pines, $120,000 comes from the council; $93,000 from the Lottery Grants Board; $10,000 from Land Information New Zealand [Linz]; $50,000 from Skyline, and the balance contributions from landowners.
During draft annual plan submissions last week group spokesman Peter Willsman told the council the group had made repeated requests for funding from the ORC but had been turned down.
Mayor Vanessa van Uden asked if the group had been given an answer as to "why not".
Mr Willsman responded: "Why should [the ORC] fund a Queenstown problem?
""If so, they would have to increase their rates, which they're not very keen on doing.
"[But] old man's beard [Clematis vitalba] isn't a Queenstown problem, which we are rated on.
"We have a certain building in Dunedin, [on] which we are all rated. We have twisted their arms, but no.
"Pressure all round is the key ... we have put in a submission [this year] but we haven't heard back."
Cr Cath Gilmour told Mr Willsman she believed the ORC "should step up and do what should actually be their bit", but Ms van Uden said "it has to come from us".
Council chief executive Debra Lawson told Mr Willsman the council would "do our best to bring them [ORC] to the table now".
The Wilding Conifer Group was established in April 2009, following the adoption of the Wilding Management Strategy for 2008-12.
In its submission, Mr Willsman said the group had made "enormous progress" over the last two years and was now "on the cusp of beating this problem".
"Critical areas of wildings are either at seeding stages or soon will be.
"All landowners recognise the wilding spread, but few are able to realistically budget control from their pastoral incomes.
"However, in a financial partnership with the [group], areas of seeding trees are being sprayed or cut, and control is beginning.
"Landowners, businesses, Linz [Land Information New Zealand], Doc [Department of Conservation] and individuals recognise the battle for control is now, or it will be too big, too expensive and too difficult to gain traction in a few more years.
"Once we have it under control, we can put it back to the landowners to maintain.
"We are on the cusp of beating this problem, or controlling it, anyway ... a few more years' funding and you will see us bring this thing under control."
