New Zealand / Inequality

Auckland's southern suburbs struggle in prosperity gap

10:36 am on 14 May 2018

A new study highlights the gap in prosperity between Auckland's richest and poorer communities.

Photo: RNZ / Cole Eastham-Farrelly

The study conducted for Auckland's economic development agency (ATEED) revealed household incomes in the poorest of 21 local board areas, Mangere and Ōtara-Papatoetoe, of about $60,000 lag 22 percent behind the city average of $76,500.

A study by ATEED has shown local board areas in the south and west have Auckland's lowest household incomes. Photo: Supplied/ATEED

The study also stated that those areas also have less access to internet at home, which can hamper school work and job seeking.

Another highlight in the statistics showed poorer southern suburbs ranked the lowest in skill and employment data, despite being in the part of Auckland with job growth and high-value employment.

The Kaipātiki area on the North Shore stood out among northern communities, for the lack of highly skilled jobs in knowledge-intensive industries, and a big proportion in declining industries.

The study provided insight into the prosperity gap across 21 local board areas in Auckland. Photo: Supplied/ATEED

It was also noted in the study that people often lived in the outlying board areas by choice, such as Rodney, Franklin and Great Barrier Island, and that those areas which were the furthest from tertiary education had lower than average tertiary enrolment rates.

The study was part of a new strategy by ATEED to focus economic development initiatives more around geographic areas, rather than industry sectors in Auckland.