Community Research

Rakahau o te Hapori

We're committed to building vibrant and sustainable communities. As part of this, we regularly carry out and commission research to better understand how we can meet the current and future needs of our people.

Community Insights Survey

The Community Insights survey aims to understand the level of trust residents have in Queenstown Lakes District Council and its decision making, and to measure residents’ satisfaction with Council performance.

Administered by Key Research, a random selection of 3,400 residents were asked their opinions on Council facilities, services, actions, and performance. The results of the inaugural annual survey are shown below. 


Quality of Life survey

To get a picture of life in our district, we hold annual Quality of Life surveys with help from independent research company, Versus Research. This anonymous survey has been in place since 2018.

The information is used to support improvements to community wellbeing through planning and decision-making by Council and other organisations, as well as advocacy to central government on behalf of the community.

Results from our seventh annual Quality of Life survey (2024) are published below.

This survey attracted 1,709 completed responses from residents while an abbreviated non-residents survey also drew 613 responses.


Community Facilities Research

QLDC in association with consultants Tonic Consulting/Weave Together undertook an update of the 2018 Our Community Spaces Report around the opportunities and challenges that exist for community groups in our district, particularly in relation to community facilities.

The key objectives of the 2024 report were to; (a) identify the facilities that community groups are using, (b) understand the current and future facility needs of community organisations, (c) understand the challenges that facility owners and managers face, (d) identify future facility requirements and opportunities for community groups and (e) identify opportunities for supporting facility owners and managers to provide facilities for community groups.

View the results of the 2024 report and supplementary information below.

If you have any questions, please Marie Day, QLDC Community Partnerships Manager: marie.day@qldc.govt.nz

Key ideas and opportunities

The report highlighted findings about our local groups and services and outlines ideas and opportunities for meeting future community facility needs. The key ideas and opportunities include:

  • plan a more coordinated approach to community facility development

  • take a networked approach to facility management

  • build collaborative partnerships

  • harness innovation and good design principles

  • ensure council-owned facilities meet demand

  • identify land for facility development

  • explore and develop creative funding avenues