Auckland Must Boost Transport and Housing to Stay Competitive: Report

A new report has highlighted the urgent need for Auckland to improve its transport and housing systems to remain competitive with global cities.

The report, titled The State of the City, was conducted by Deloitte for the Committee for Auckland and compared the city to international peers such as Vancouver, Portland, Dublin, and Brisbane. It found that Auckland is more car-dependent and has less dense housing than these cities, which puts it at a disadvantage in terms of economic growth and urban development.

Committee for Auckland director Mark Thomas told RNZ’s Morning Report that the city’s prosperity has declined in the past three years, partly due to housing challenges. “The report says that we are much less dense than our peers, now that’s not to say we need to be dense everywhere, what it’s saying is we don’t have the same degree of mixed housing that other cities do,” he said.

Thomas also pointed out that Auckland’s reliance on cars is a result of limited transport options. “We also are more car-dependent because we don’t provide other transport options. So that’s an example of one of the big consequences of our inability to solve this land-use planning challenge,” he added.

Despite its strengths in quality of life and diversity, the report found that these factors alone are not enough to keep the city competitive. “Auckland’s productivity sets the pace for the rest of the country, so it has an opportunity - and a responsibility - to be bolder in lifting it,” said Deloitte chief executive Mike Horne.

The report recommends that the government and local councils address land-use, housing, transport, and regulatory settings that hinder productivity. It also suggests strengthening Auckland’s international brand and developing a compelling story about the city’s past, present, and future to communicate its values and ambitions to the world.

Eden Park chief executive Nick Sautner echoed the need for improvement, stating that Auckland must align and prioritize its efforts to stay competitive with cities like Brisbane, Melbourne, and Sydney. He emphasized the importance of reusing existing infrastructure, such as converting offices into apartment buildings, and investing in projects like the City Rail Link (CRL) to boost housing and infrastructure around the area.

Sautner also highlighted the need for a bed-night visitor levy on short-term accommodation to attract major events, which would help the city compete with other global destinations. “Without that, New Zealand would not get major concerts or sporting events,” he said.