Respected hotel and hospitality operator Mark Rose calls in the latest Crux podcast for a change in community leadership and for our local council to open their books in the face of planned $1 billion debt - a level he calls "a frightening number."

"If there's serious financial problems then we need to discover those now and get them fixed" Mark Rose told Crux Managing Editor Peter Newport.

Mr Rose started his career as an international chef and then moved on to luxury hotel management, making a success of the five star Rees hotel in Queenstown from the depths of the global financial crisis. 

"The fabric of our community is at risk" Mr Rose told Crux, speaking of the community's inability to house and sustain key hospitality staff on $70,000 a year. "It's simply not enough to live on at the moment keeping in mind the cost and availability of local housing."

Mr Rose also speaks in detail about the need for younger, fresher community leaders and elected councillors. He notes in particular what he sees as the lack of leadership from the current council and decisions being made behind closed doors.

Referring to the council's $100 million spend on the luxury Lakeview apartment project, with little evident prospect for future profits, Mr Rose told Crux "if it's such a great deal, show us the books."

"Good leadership is about taking people along with you. I'm just not seeing that from the current council and it worries me greatly."