Auckland’s chance to stand on the international podium

Comment: This year’s State of the City report on Auckland landed just as the Olympics finished. If the city had been a competitor it may have struggled to medal.
Despite on field strengths with its access to green space, cultural vibrancy and improving resilience, the report revealed significant performance gaps in Auckland’s innovation ecosystem, educational outcomes and skills, transport system and economic growth.
In this State of the City competition, Auckland is benchmarked against nine international peer cities and, as in the Olympics, the talents of these cities are on display in the report for all to see. All have a series of development, growth and innovation strategies that currently position them more strongly than Auckland for global competitiveness, sustained growth, and a greater medal rate. 
One of the report’s key findings is that Auckland needs to build its position in key competitive industries. The report is rich with examples of what Auckland’s nine peers are doing to challenge, inform and help improve Auckland’s approach.
Life sciences. Urban transformation. Investment attraction
In Europe, Copenhagen is propelling itself into a global life science capital with its new 3-year Science Hub initiative. Led by a philanthropic foundation and the city’s economic development department, the project aims to attract top researchers to Copenhagen universities and raise the international visibility of research in innovative fields like bio-solutions and neuroscience.
Dublin is embarking on one of its largest urban transformations with its City Edge project in a 700 hectare industrial estate, which aims to create 75,000 jobs and 40,000 new homes across five neighbourhoods. City Edge will set new standards for urban living with high-quality mixed-use centres and modern infrastructure.
Helsinki has transformed its attraction strategy for international investors with new visitor programmes (“Venture Nordics” and “Founders to Finland”), which offer a deep dive into the city’s innovation ecosystem. The programmes are targeted efforts to bring in international fund managers, offering networking, cultural experiences, and relocation guidance.
Infrastructure upskilling. Community restoration. Partnership housing
In North America, the city of Austin in Texas has launched a new Infrastructure Academy aimed at filling 10,000 skilled trade roles with residents to provide the human resources pipeline for their ambitious US$25 billion capital project inventory, which includes an enhanced convention centre and additional light rail systems. 
In Portland Oregon, the I-5 Rose Quarter urban redevelopment project in the city’s northern historic precinct enhances infrastructure but also addresses social equity. The project reconnects the historically Black Albina neighbourhood, bringing restorative justice to the community while saving millions of travel hours and improving street safety.
In Vancouver, the “BC Builds” programme brings together public lands and provides low-cost financing to accelerate the production of middle-income multi-unit housing. The programme’s partnership model has already led to dozens of new housing developments on a fast-tracked timeline.
Major events. Economic zones. Tech powerhouse.
In other parts of the world, Brisbane is preparing for the Olympic Games with a more than $A5 billion transformation programme for its airport that is positioning Brisbane as a key player in the global economy. The city’s airport is now home to a Californian quantum computer, which will play a significant role in future industries such as renewable energy, minerals, healthcare, and transport.
Fukuoka, Japan’s fastest-growing city, is working with the national government to establish a special economic zone for international finance and asset management. A “Startup Package” has been created which helps attract domestic and international companies and entrepreneurs, through implementation of regulatory reforms in status of residence, employment, and taxes.
Tel Aviv has cemented its status as a global tech ecosystem with initiatives like “Tel Aviv Tech” and “The Platform,” an innovation center that fosters collaboration between innovators and start-ups. The city’s focus on building global partnerships has helped it rise to the number three position for unicorns created since 2019.
Auckland’s new fitness plan
The State of the City report says Auckland has laid some important groundwork for high value sectors to grow with advantages in FinTech, software and creative industries becoming more apparent. But Auckland has much more to do, and its peer cities give great insights.
Auckland, often in partnership with central government, needs expanded citywide efforts to build complementary skills and investment pipelines. This should involve deepening work with business associations, major companies and institutions around priority development locations and boosting cooperation between research institutions and industry. This could see greater prioritisation of the Newmarket Innovation Precinct being led by the University of Auckland to attract global talent and investment. 
The city should examine the need for a skills academy with industry which could increase the supply of skills for Auckland’s upcoming much needed infrastructure projects. Auckland needs more affordable housing and should look at new models that leverage public land and private partnerships to deliver this more quickly and economically. The government’s new housing and planning changes may facilitate this.
Auckland should continue to ramp up its efforts in attracting international investment and more clearly package the city’s economic strengths and opportunities. It should ensure transformation projects such as the City Rail Link are organised to leverage additional domestic and international technology and innovation investment, ensuring these projects not only meet immediate needs but also position the city as a hub for future industries.
Auckland could consider establishing special economic zones or industry designations to attract global investment and encourage innovative partnerships. The city and the government must fix the existing weakness in Auckland’s tech sector coordination, skills support and funding to create a stronger Auckland innovation hub.
The chance to medal more
The State of the City report contains information of which many Aucklanders will be unaware. Who knew Auckland has one of the least dependent elderly populations, has the lowest hotel off-peak rates of its peers and is a leading city for construction and demolition waste recycling? 
It is also a report which comprehensively documents in one place many of the issues Aucklanders are concerned about and allows everyone to track Auckland’s annual progress. However, its real value is in the insights and recommendations it provides on what Auckland, the government and their agencies and stakeholders need to act on. 
Auckland’s peer cities illustrate the results that stem from being collaborative, inventive, and decisive. If Auckland wants to medal more regularly in the international cities’ stakes, it must partner with central government to develop its own versions of these approaches to improve the state of Auckland.