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State of the City Update

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State of the City Update
It’s three months since Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown and Auckland and Transport Minister Hon Simeon Brown unveiled the 2024 State of the City international benchmarking report, which found Auckland retains its distinct natural environment advantages, has improving resilience to respond to crises and maintains an overall liveability appeal. However, the report highlighted Auckland’s persistent transport infrastructure deficits, housing affordability problems and the impact of a slower than average economic recovery.
The Committee has prioritised two of the lowest ten pillars for action. In the innovation area, Auckland struggles with underinvestment in research, fragmented support for startups, and limited collaboration across sectors. In the knowledge/skills area, the city faces challenges in attracting and retaining skilled talent, aligning education with industry needs, and fostering effective knowledge transfer.
The Committee convened a panel of business, economic development and university leaders during TechWeek, to prioritise the actions required to strengthen Auckland’s innovation ecosystem. Some of these were: much better storytelling of the innovation Auckland has underway; greater support for early entrepreneurship and improving the start-up pathways; initiating new Auckland and New Zealand innovation strategies to update those done in 2012; strengthen global connections as both Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Mayor Wayne Brown are doing with the trade missions they are leading and build greater bipartisan support to boosting R&D investment.
Innovation and Technology Minister Judith Collins spoke at a Committee event on enhancing Auckland’s role as an innovation bub, strengthening the science and technology ecosystems and a commitment to working on innovation barriers such as skills shortages and regulatory hurdles.
We also took Committee members on a tour of the University of Auckland’s impressive Newmarket Innovation Precinct (refer attached story).
You will see State of the City references increasing as the report becomes an essential reference to promotion on the important assets Auckland has and action on the significant challenges it has that are currently holding it back.
View of Auckland City from Mount Eden

2024 State of the City Report

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State of the City: Auckland’s opportunity and resilience
improve but city rebound impacted by experience, prosperity and transport decline

Download the report here

Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland’s slower than anticipated rebound from the COVID-19 pandemic, the January
2023 floods and price inflation are all factors in the city slipping slightly backwards against nine international
peer cities according to the second annual The State of the City: Benchmarking Tāmaki Makaurau
Auckland’s international performance report.

The report acknowledges the challenges of the city’s recovery and the considerable development work and
planning underway in Auckland across the 10 pillars measured by the report.

Mark Thomas, Director of Committee for Auckland who commissioned the report to assess how the city is
performing on the world stage, says it’s encouraging Auckland has improved in three pillars – Opportunity,
Place and Resilience – driven by stronger corporate demand, the city’s amenity and work-life balance
advantages, and its ability to handle crises.

“Auckland is seen as an important and reliable gateway for corporates and a popular location for investors.
Also, our growing and diverse population provides the foundation for a more inclusive city. Comparatively,
Auckland’s social cohesion, trust and confidence is a strength which is critical to crisis management as well
as coping with future environment changes.”

However, progress in these pillars has been offset by declines in the report’s Connectivity, Experience,
Prosperity and Sustainability pillars. “Auckland’s concerning decline in Prosperity points to the city’s higher
cost of living, stubbornly low productivity, increasing unemployment and widening inequalities,” says
Thomas. “All these damage Auckland’s reputation for liveability.”

Gaps in Auckland’s urban experience are reflected by declines in the Connectivity, Experience and
Sustainability pillars. “We are not yet addressing our transport infrastructure deficits, progress on
decarbonisation is slow, and housing affordability and persistent safety concerns all emerge as competitive
challenges for the city to address to improve its position.”

Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown agreed with the report’s finding that there must be a better national and local
strategic consensus and plan for Auckland’s infrastructure needs using regional deals, and funding models
capable of enabling essential infrastructure projects.

“The report strengthens the case for a fundamentally different relationship between Auckland and the central
government. We are a third of the country, the powerhouse of New Zealand’s economy, and more like a city
state than a local council. Any Auckland Deal must recognise this fact. The Manifesto for Auckland, which I
published last year, outlined the basis for such a deal. What is good for Auckland is good for New Zealand,
but Auckland solutions made by Aucklanders are needed for Auckland problems.”

Minister for Auckland Simeon Brown said the Government knows that for New Zealand to be successful,
Auckland must be successful. The report highlights both the challenges and opportunities facing Auckland, and why the Government must focus on economic growth and lifting productivity if our city is to remain
internationally competitive.

“While 33 per cent of New Zealand’s population lives in Auckland, the city accounts for 38 per cent of our
GDP. The Government is focussed on ensuring Auckland is able to grow and prosper, while reducing the
cost of living for Aucklanders. The Government has delivered tax relief for hardworking Kiwis and has
abolished the regional fuel tax so Aucklanders aren’t penalised at the pump. We have also established a
financially sustainable model for Watercare that keeps local control of water while enabling Watercare to
invest in the critical water infrastructure which will unlock housing growth and clean up our harbours.

“This is a Government that is ambitious for Auckland and will deliver the projects and policies needed to
unlock this city’s potential. I would like to thank Committee for Auckland, Tātaki Auckland Unlimited, and
Deloitte for commissioning this forward thinking and thought-provoking report.”

Tātaki Auckland Unlimited Director of Economic Development Pam Ford says the report finds Auckland
punches above its weight considering its just inside the top 400 cities by size and that global audiences
recall Auckland as interesting but may not remember its unique offerings.

“Auckland’s competitor cities have strengthened their brands, and Auckland’s business and innovation brand
must be developed and prioritised if the city wants to attract investment into new industries.

“Our trajectory in successfully growing innovative and investable businesses is broadly positive. We have
advantages in fintech, software and creative industries, as well as promise in the food sector. However,
innovation enablers including infrastructure, talent and funding are barriers, compared to peer cities.

“But, according to the report, we need to improve planning around our economic, spatial and infrastructure
developments to better guide where and how future jobs in advanced sectors will cluster, what
specialisations will be built up, and what growth and talent settings will support innovative firms.”

Deloitte Partner Anthony Ruakere says Auckland is one of the world’s top five most indigenously populated
cities and one of the most ethnically diverse, something the Report identifies we need to draw more on.

“The report says Auckland has a culture and diversity advantage that can be used more purposefully to
promote Auckland, remind people of the city’s special qualities, and crystallise the unique value Auckland
presents which separates it from other places.”

Mark Thomas says the report outlines that Auckland is now in the second of four cycles of city development
with three key implications that need priority action if it is to move into the third cycle.

“We need new jointly developed local and central government policies that enable scale, speed and
coordination in how infrastructure is delivered in Auckland. We have to build up Auckland’s competitive
position in key industries, and we need conscientious and collaborative leadership about the city’s direction,
appeal, and identity development.”

This year’s The State of the City report includes deep dives into Auckland’s innovation ecosystem, brand
identity and diversity.

Michael Rose 1

A Conversation with Michael Rose, Chair – Committee for Sydney

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Recently, several member of the Committee for Auckland (CfA) board had the privilege of spending a couple of hours with the long-serving chair of the Committee for Sydney (CfS).   CfS has been in existence for a similar period of time to CfA having formed out of a desire to see Sydney maintain the momentum generated by hosting the 2000 Olympic Games.   CfS experienced a low ebb coinciding with a period of relatively low investment and engagement by the state government. That changed when a more ambitious government was elected and former deputy mayor, Lucy Turnbull joined the CfS board as chair.   CfS has subsequently gone from strength to strength, rising to its current position with membership capped at around 150 organisations and a highly-capable executive, policy and policy team, wielding considerable influence.   Michael categorised advocacy as the single most important thing CfS does.

 There were many insights that flowed from the discussion with Michael.   Some key ones were:

  • CfS benefited from initially employing a high-energy CEO to re-launch the organisation (ie: a start-up mindset) and then subsequently transitioned to different leadership team and approach as the organisation grew and matured.
  • The importance of having an advocacy plan to support any report produced or sponsored by the organisation.
  • The breadth of (a carefully curated) membership ensures a whole of city focus, with the “room” always full of interesting people.   CfS is respected for its convening power.
  • In the absence of a big VC sector (relative to the likes of California) it is important to have the government “prime the pump” to drive innovation.   Interestingly, the big technology companies have advised that a major impediment to an expanding tech sector in Sydney was the cost of housing.
  • Social resilience and cohesion are growing concerns, with significant disparity in wealth and opportunity across the city.  This inequity had both geographic and intergenerational dimensions.
  • CfS derive considerable value from engaging speakers from equivalent organisations offshore (ie: leveraging the committee for city’s network).

A warm thanks to Michael for making time to spend with members of the CfA board during his recent visit to Auckland.

Lorraine Mentz

Former Future Auckland Leaders programme lead awarded NZ Order of Merit

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We’re delighted the huge contribution Lorraine has made to education and philanthropy has been recognised in the King’s Birthday honours, with Lorraine being made a member of the New Zealand Order of Merit.

Lorraine is an experienced social entrepreneur and network leader who has built a strong reputation working with public, private and ‘for purpose’ organisations in New Zealand and abroad.   Lorraine’s focus over the last 30 years has largely been on influencing and developing organisations and growing leaders.  Lorraine is currently Chief Executive of Hugh Green Foundation, a role she has held since January 2021.

Lorraine led CfA’s Future Auckland Leader programme for 13 years,  developing a curriculum that was agile and relevant to Auckland’s changing dynamic and demographic makeup included emerging leaders from all sectors – business, iwi, local government and the philanthropic sector.  During this time she coached over 100 of Auckland’s  ‘emerging leaders’.    The Future Auckland Leader Alumni are now widespread and hold many of the top jobs throughout New Zealand and overseas.

Lorraine was also the Founder and CEO of Springboard Trust from 2002-2019.  Springboard Trust (SBT) is focused on developing and scaling an impactful cross-sector enterprise assisting educational leaders throughout New Zealand.

In 2019 Lorraine initiated and started EPIT and is currently Co-Chair alongside Dr. Hana O’Regan.  The ‘Education Partnership and Innovation Platform’ (EPIT) addresses inequity in education through impactful, transformative partnerships. Lorraine has raised $12 million in order to ensure its sustainability through to 2028 as a collaborative platform and organization.

Sing trip 1

Insights for Auckland from the Southeast Asia Trade Mission

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Arriving in Singapore, the business delegation, PM Christopher Luxon and Minister Watts and local NZ officials

In a strategic move to bolster New Zealand’s economic ties with Southeast Asia, Committee for Auckland Board Director and AcademyEx Founder/Director Frances Valintine recently joined Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts with a New Zealand business delegation to Southeast Asia.

With Southeast Asia collectively forming the world’s fifth-largest economy, New Zealand’s NZ$9.1 billion export figure in 2023 speaks volumes about the existing commercial bonds. The purpose of the visit was not only to reinforce existing ties but also to explore new avenues for collaboration, particularly in high-growth sectors such as green energy that promise mutual benefits.

The visit kicked off in Singapore, where PM Luxon’s discussions with Singaporean leaders resulted in agreements to upgrade the Enhanced Partnership. These agreements introduce a new focus on supply chains and green economy initiatives and are expected to open doors for increased trade and cooperation in essential areas like energy, defence, and technology.

A particular highlight of the time in Singapore was The Centre for Strategic Futures (CSF), a forward-thinking institution nestled within the Strategy Group of the Prime Minister’s Office. Its core mission is to position Singapore effectively for future challenges and opportunities by identifying and analysing long-term trends that could significantly impact the nation. 

The core focus of CSF is Futures research and scenario planning, crafting narratives that explore possible future developments across multiple domains and includes working with Singaporean government agencies to integrate strategic foresight into their planning processes and public engagement efforts to instil a broader societal understanding of future uncertainties and preparedness.

From Singapore, the delegation travelled to Thailand, where Prime Minister Luxon met with Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin to unveil ambitious plans, including elevating bilateral relations to a Strategic Partnership by 2026 and tripling trade volumes by 2045. These discussions underscored a shared vision of deepening economic cooperation.

The journey concluded in the Philippines, where Prime Minister Luxon’s discussions with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. culminated in a commitment to elevate the Philippines-New Zealand relationship to a Comprehensive Partnership by 2026 and to boost bilateral trade by 50 percent by 2030. The visit was marked by significant agreements, such as a strategic cooperation arrangement between NZTE and the Ayala Group, which promises to open doors for New Zealand businesses in innovative and green economy sectors.

Highlighting the synergy between New Zealand’s technological and environmental expertise and Southeast Asian economic dynamism, Morrison Global announced an investment in a Philippine renewable energy company, signalling strong confidence in the region’s green energy sector. Additionally, the delegation’s involvement in the Manila-headquartered Asian Development Bank’s Energy Transition Mechanism emphasised New Zealand’s commitment to supporting sustainable energy initiatives across Southeast Asia. 

The trip not only emphasised the economic potential but also showcased New Zealand’s readiness to play a significant role in the region’s future growth and sustainability initiatives. It underlined New Zealand’s proactive, forward-looking approach, fostering ties that extend beyond trade to cultural and environmental cooperation.

New Zealand hosts a Aotearoa inspired event in Bangkok for local dignitaries and New Zealand connected business leaders

Fireworks at the Palace with President and First Lady Marcos, Manilla, Philippines. PM Christopher Luxon embraces the President and First Lady at a spectacular fireworks display

State of Brisbane

The State of Brisbane

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The Brisbane Economic Development Agency (BEDA) recently released its inaugural State of the City Report, highlighting Brisbane’s growth and opportunities as an emerging global city.  Headlining the report is the city’s predicted economic increase of 68% to $275 billion in 2041.  Driving the momentum of growth are factors such as having Australia’s strongest demand for prime real estate, largest health ecosystem, most efficient trade network, highest professional services growth and the strongest tourism recovery after Covid. 

Judith Collins

Innovation in Auckland Judith Collins

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Hon Judith Collins at this year’s Asia Tech x Summit in Singapore

Continuing the Committee’s focus on boosting innovation in Auckland, the Minister for Science, Innovation and Technology Hon Judith Collins has accepted our invitation to speak to the Committee this month. Auckland is New Zealand’s innovation engine, but there is more the city needs to do to reach and surpass the levels of the competitor cities that Auckland is benchmarked against in the State of the City report.

Ms Collins will speak on the role of Auckland’s science, innovation and technology ecosystems and what steps can be taken to boost their effectiveness. Keep an eye out for the invitation in the next few days.

Please register for this event here
Innovation panel 1

Innovation and Knowledge Panel Event

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The Innovation and Knowledge panel: Pam Ford, Darsel Keane, Mike Horne and Andrew Fairgray

On 22 May an expert panel comprising Deloitte Chief Executive Mike Horne, Darsel Keane Director – Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship at the University of Auckland, and 2 degrees Chief Business Officer Andrew Fairgray came together for a discussion concerning Auckland’s innovation future, expertly facilitated by Pam Ford, Director of Economic Development at Tātaki Auckland Unlimited.   The well-attended session was convened at GridAKL in the Wynyard Quarter Innovation Precinct.

The current situation was characterised as follows:

  • We have a well-regulated marketplace, first-class IT infrastructure, a well-educated population and respected universities with world-class research facilities.  Moreover, our oft-quoted “only two degrees of separation” means someone adjacent will be able to plug a technology gap.
  • In addition to losing key talent to major international cities, Auckland is losing talent to smaller, more affordable centres.  We don’t want to be the talent factory for the rest of the world!
  • NZ entrepreneurs are tending to focus in Agri Tech, Blue Tech, Med Tech, with greater growth options in Fin Tech or AI.
  • It transpires only 8% of Auckland Uni grads have an ambition to start a business.  This is somewhat below international averages.
  • NZ lacks depth in our capital markets.  Good companies can access money, but there is a strong bias towards tech firms.  New Zealand is generally well served by angel investment.  However, at the next seed investment levels is where capital is constrained.
  • We need to think about greater commercial outcomes in our research activity.  In the UK, knowledge mobilisation and transfer is now embedded in the KPIs used to rate the performance of academic staff.
  • Our education system is quite discipline-focused with students forced to choose at a comparatively young age.  There is a need to facilitate more cross-pollination to foster second careers.
  • Our innovation ecosystem is currently too complicated to navigate.  There is a gap around supporting people with early-stage ideas in respect of the provision of education and economic development.

Recommendations from the panel:

  • Storytelling is telling incredibly important to inspire, including a belief that it is OK to fail.
  • We need to turn on entrepreneur “lightbulbs” much earlier.  We also need positive images for 7-8 year old girls to grow the number of women in tech careers.
  • NZ needs both a national and a regional innovation strategy.
  • We need more seamless pathways for entrepreneurs.  Ideally corporates should create the ability for staff to spend time in a start-up environment and spend time in “city corridors”.
  • We also need stronger connections to the international cities we can learn from.
  • New Zealand has to continue to increase public (and private) R&D spending. Observations from overseas indicate private spending follows public. 
  • Bipartisan agreements are important for long-term programmes to work.  There is simply too much waste otherwise.
  • Gen Z are seeking better measures of productivity than current settings which tend to focus on input rather than outcomes.  Give them major project opportunities to either succeed or fail (with appropriate safeguards).  In most businesses, current settings are too risk adverse.
Invitation Graphic

Auckland’s Innovation Future Panel: The next steps

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Auckland is ranked lowest in the “Innovation” and “Knowledge” areas compared to our peer international cities in last year’s State of the City report. Although Auckland has promising advantages in foodtech, fintech and gaming, other cities are accelerating faster and Auckland has funding and infrastructure limitations. Although Auckland’s universities remain magnets for students and research, the supply of skills is not keeping pace with the needs of fast-moving technology sectors and the amount invested in R&D has a lot of room to grow.

The Committee for Auckland is hosting a panel discussion, Auckland’s Innovation Future: the next steps, to address this. It will highlight the good progress underway but also focus on the key opportunities and constraints that Auckland has in these vital sectors, and identity the next steps needed.

Our panelists have extensive knowledge and experience of business growth through their experiences within their respective fields such as business and education. Come along for a stimulating discussion about how Auckland can improve talent growth, international connections, funding challenges, the government relationship and more effective connections between employers and tertiary providers.

RSVP Here

Panelists

Mike Horne, Chief Executive, Deloitte New Zealand

Andrew Fairgray, Chief Business officer at 2Degrees, Auckland Tech Council member and contributor to Auckland’s path to becoming a Global Tech Hub

Darsel Keane, Director of the University of Auckland’s Centre for Innovation and Enterprise

Moderator

Pam Ford, Director of Economic Development at Tātaki Auckland Unlimited, and initiator of Tech Tāmaki Makaurau

Event Details

Date: Thursday 23 May

Time: 7:30 – 8:45am

Location: Grid AKL/John Lysaght – 101 Pakenham Street West, Auckland 1010

RSVP and Registration

To secure your spot at this exclusive, invite-only event, please click on the RSVP link below. Limited seats available, register by Monday 20 May.

RSVP Here
SOTC Sydney

The State of Sydney

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The State of Sydney

The Committee’s sister organisation, the Committee for Sydney, released its latest State of the City report in February. The report found Sydney is the epicenter of Australian innovation with NSW attracting 57% of venture capital raised nationally, and around 75% of the innovation hubs, programs and businesses supporting emerging technologies based in Sydney.

Sydney has steadily reduced its emissions on average by 3.2% each year, while economic activity has grown by 50 percent

Economic transition in the west of Sydney is underway, with higher levels of educational attainment and growing value-added industries closing the education gap between Eastern and Western Sydney.

7.2 million people attended Sydney’s diverse suite of major events in 2023, achieving a new record.

Most categories of violent crime in Sydney have declined markedly over 20 years, but there is rising incidence of domestic violence and intimidation and harassment.

Home ownership rates are declining by 4% every 10 years and the city is not on track to deliver the 30,000 new homes it needs each year until 2041.

Average temperatures in Sydney are increasing. In 2023, Sydney recorded its all-time highest monthly average temperatures in March and July

Sydney is a reference city for Auckland in our own annual State of the City report. Auckland’s State of the City 2024 will be out later this year.

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