Ruapehu Mayor Weston Kirton has welcomed the news that Council’s petition to Save the Chateau Tongariro Hotel has now been formally referred by the Parliamentary Petitions Committee to a Minister for response.

The Cabinet Office will now determine the most appropriate Minister to provide the response, which is due by 11 February 2026.

“Having the petition referred to a Minister is a significant step forward,” said Mayor Kirton.

“It brings us closer to having a plan to resolve any issues and unlock the $100 million-plus in private redevelopment funding needed to restore the Chateau and reopen this iconic landmark.”

Following the presentation of the 15,500-signature petition at Parliament in September, Council was invited to provide a written submission.

This was lodged in mid-November and set out the background, the opportunity, and the action Council is seeking.

“In our submission we asked Government to recognise the scale of opportunity,” said Mayor Kirton.

“A redevelopment of this size would bring new jobs, training and skills development, regional growth, iwi partnership opportunities, and protection of one of Aotearoa’s most significant heritage hotel buildings.”

The Council also highlighted that reopening the Chateau aligns strongly with the Government’s tourism goals for a high-value, sustainable and regionally dispersed visitor economy.

“With credible investors already at the table - investors with the vision, capability and financial capacity to restore the Chateau and revitalise Whakapapa Village - what we need now is Government leadership,” he said.

Council’s submission calls on Government to commit to a five-point plan:

• Run a clear, time-bound process to identify a suitable investor with the vision and capacity to restore the Chateau.
• Put in place the necessary policy and lease settings to make redevelopment viable.
• Work alongside iwi and investors to co-design governance arrangements that honour Treaty partnerships and mana whenua aspirations.
• Champion the project at a national level as a model for heritage protection and regional economic development.
• Act with urgency so restoration can begin before further deterioration or loss of opportunity occurs.

Mayor Kirton said the case for action is compelling.

“The Chateau previously provided around a third of Ruapehu’s commercial visitor beds, with the majority of summer guests being high-value international visitors.

Chateau guests typically stayed longer and spent more, supporting hospitality, adventure operators, transport services, and retail across the Central Plateau.

The Government’s recent $10.8 million investment toward completing our cycle trail network was fantastic news that provides yet another reason for international tourists to come to Ruapehu.

Restoring the Chateau will help us to accommodate the international tourists these trails will attract locally and realise the tourism growth opportunities the region and the country are seeking.

It will allow us to not only regain high-value markets but sustain the year-round jobs, on-going investment, and the many other opportunities this will bring,” he said.

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