Auckland is the worst city in the report for access to public transport, with the most hours lost to congestion. Photo: 123rf.com
Auckland has slipped behind its international peers as a great place to live and work due to a lack of affordable housing, congestion and a perception of rising crime.
City leaders meet today for the release of the second annual The State of the City: Benchmarking Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland's international performance report, for 2024.
It compares Auckland in 10 categories against nine cities; Austin, Brisbane, Copenhagen, Dublin, Fukuoka, Helsinki, Portland, Tel Aviv and Vancouver.
Auckland ranks second-to-last of seven cities measured for housing affordability, relative to income, with only Vancouver behind it.
It ranks last of 8 peer cities for the ability to find fulfilling work.
Report shows Auckland slips behind peers in liveability
The city ranks second-to-last for access to public transport and active modes, but has seen the highest rate of shift away from cars in the last year.
The report says safety concerns persist, with 88.5% of Aucklanders believing the city was less safe at the of 2023 than the previous year, despite declining crime rates over the last 12 months.
Committee for Auckland commissioned the report and its director, Mark Thomas, said there were declines in the city's measures of connectivity, experience, prosperity and sustainability.
"Auckland's concerning decline in prosperity points to the city's higher cost of living, stubbornly low productivity, increasing unemployment and widening inequalities," he said.
"All these damage Auckland's reputation for liveability."
Thomas said there were gaps in Auckland's urban experience.
"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."
He said it was encouraging to see Auckland improve in its measure for 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," Thomas said.
"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."
Auckland's slower than anticipated rebound from the Covid-19 pandemic, the January 2023 floods and price inflation are also factors in the city slipping in its rankings.
The report recommended Auckland focus on developing consistent infrastructure investment and credible plans to deliver this, in order to service Auckland's growth.
"Reducing the city's transport deficit is a multi-cycle effort that relies on reliable and responsive project funding, long-term planning and land acquisition, and stronger Auckland-specific co-ordination and commitments with national government," the report said.
Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown apologises for flood response. Photo: Supplied/ Auckland Council / YouTube
Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown said the region needed a better national and local strategic consensus for its infrastructure needs.
"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."
Brown said any Auckland Deal must recognise that.
"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."
The report also recommends Auckland's public and private sector collaborate to reinvent the city centre and focus on attracting more business, investment and talent into the economy.
Auckland accounts for 38 percent of New Zealand's GDP and 33 percent of New Zealand's population.
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."
He said 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," Simeon Brown said.
"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."
The coalition government scrapped Auckland Light Rail and the Regional Fuel Tax, forcing projects it funded to be put on ice.
"The government's ambitious transport plan will help Aucklanders get to where they want to go quickly and safely, with important Roads of National Significance projects such as Mill Road and the East-West Link, public transport projects including the Northwest Rapid Transit Corridor and Airport to Botany Busway, and completion of the Eastern Busway and City Rail Link."