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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.
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.

Frank Bloomfield

CfA Director Receives New Year’s Honour

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CfA Director Receives New Year’s Honour

The New Year’s Honours List announced that CfA director Frank Bloomfield will receive the Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit (ONZM) for services to neonatology.

Professor Bloomfield is a neonatologist and perinatal researcher who has made a significant contribution to improved health outcomes for mothers and newborn babies.

Frank worked as a clinical and academic neonatologist in the Newborn Intensive Care Unit at Auckland City Hospital from 2003 to 2020. He was Director of the Liggins Institute at the University of Auckland for eight years, and since 2013, he has been Professor of Neonatology at the University of Auckland. He has led ground-breaking research into the optimisation of protein intake and nutrition for premature babies. He has been a member of numerous national and international committees and advisory boards promoting the health and wellbeing of pregnant women and babies. Professor Bloomfield was appointed Deputy Vice Chancellor (Research) at the University of Auckland in 2023 and he joined the Committee for Auckland board last year.

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Insights into Global Government and Public Sector Trends

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Insights into Global Government and Public Sector Trends

Matthew Hitch, Deloitte’s Government and Public Services leader for Asia Pacific was the keynote speaker at an event hosted at Deloitte’s Auckland Headquarters on 28 February. The intimate nature of the event permitted an informal atmosphere and free-ranging discussion rather than a more structured Q & A session.  Drawing on his (in excess of) 30-years experience in various leadership positions across New Zealand, Asia Pacific, and the US where Matthew has led digital and technology initiatives for government and public sector clients, Matthew covered topics ranging from alternative infrastructure funding models such as PPP’s through to the challenges associated with the considerable economic diversity across the supercity.

Drawing from his extensive experience, Matthew delved into key findings from the 2023 State of the City international benchmark report, which compared Auckland with its peer cities worldwide. This report, commissioned by the Committee for Auckland in collaboration with Deloitte and Auckland Council’s economic and cultural agency, Tātaki Auckland Unlimited, offered crucial insights into Auckland’s position on the global stage.

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FAL Alumni Connect

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FAL Alumni Connect

For many years the Committee ran the Future Auckland Leaders programme. A two-year part-time professional study programme delivering a highly regarded leadership development curriculum providing participants with deep exposure to and understanding of the complex Auckland ecosystem. We recently held a ‘FAL Alumni Connect’ event, where alumni of the FAL programme came together for a morning of reconnection, collaboration, and celebration.

The morning kicked off with breakfast and networking. It was a fantastic opportunity for alumni to mingle, catch up with old friends, and engage in meaningful conversations, setting the tone for an inspiring morning.

Our formal program commenced, featuring a talk by Committee board member Frances Valintine CNZM, an internationally renowned educator and technologist dedicated to reshaping traditional education for the evolving needs of future generations. Frances’ insights were relevant to the Committee for Auckland’s focus in the critically important areas of education and innovation.

Our formal program commenced with a captivating talk by Committee board member Frances Valintine CNZM—an esteemed educator and technologist renowned for her dedication to revolutionizing traditional education to meet the evolving needs of future generations.

Throughout the event, there were insightful discussions on shaping the education and innovation landscape for Auckland, with valuable input from both our alumni and Frances. Frances shared a statistic that underscored the impact of the FAL programme: over the years, it has provided hundreds of participants with a deep exposure to and understanding of the complex Auckland ecosystem, empowering them to become effective leaders in their respective fields.

We were privileged to convene this event at Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei’s Whai Māia, offering stunning views overlooking beautiful Okahu Bay—a fitting backdrop for our inspiring discussions and connections.

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to all our alumni who attended ‘FAL Alumni Connect’. Your presence and engagement made this event truly special, reinforcing the strength and unity of our Future Auckland Leaders alumni community.

Simeon Brown

The State of Auckland: Making Progress on Auckland’s Priorities

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The State of Auckland: Making Progress on Auckland’s Priorities

We are excited to share a recap of our recent event, “The State of Auckland: Making Progress on Auckland’s Priorities,” where Hon Simeon Brown MP, Minister for Auckland, provided insights into the government’s aimed at addressing pressing issues facing our city.

Minister Brown emphasized tackling the cost of living, addressing law and order issues, and revitalizing Auckland’s transport infrastructure as key early priorities. He highlighted strategic transport investments, including projects like Mill Road in south-east Auckland and the East West Link in Penrose, as part of a targeted approach to infrastructure development.

Minister Brown discussed exploring alternative financing models, such as public-private partnerships and value capture, to address funding challenges. He stressed the importance of collaboration between government agencies, local authorities, and private stakeholders to ensure effective decision-making and implementation.

Participants engaged in lively debates on balancing safety with efficiency in transport planning, the impact of funding cuts on critical projects, and the need for sustainable solutions to Auckland’s evolving needs. Minister Brown and attendees exchanged valuable perspectives on navigating these challenges and harnessing opportunities for Auckland’s future growth and prosperity.

With the event occurring in the same week as Minister Brown (in his capacity as Transport Minister) announcing the regional fuel tax will end on 30 June 2024, there was elevated media interest in the event, with both major television networks and print media present.

As we reflect on the insights shared at “The State of Auckland” event, we reaffirm our commitment to driving positive change and fostering collaboration across sectors. Together, we can work towards a vibrant, inclusive, and sustainable future for Auckland.

You can read Hon Simeon Brown’s speech here.