1 00:00:05,760 --> 00:00:06,200 Speaker 1: Kiyota. 2 00:00:06,280 --> 00:00:09,480 Speaker 2: I'm Chelsea Daniels and This is the Front Page, a 3 00:00:09,600 --> 00:00:17,840 Speaker 2: daily podcast presented by The New Zealand Herald. A new 4 00:00:17,920 --> 00:00:23,320 Speaker 2: report has suggested that the country's biggest city is going backwards. 5 00:00:24,000 --> 00:00:27,680 Speaker 2: The second annual State of the City report, which compares 6 00:00:27,800 --> 00:00:32,279 Speaker 2: Auckland's progress against nine major cities around the globe, has 7 00:00:32,320 --> 00:00:37,360 Speaker 2: shown that things are on the backwards trend. While outside 8 00:00:37,400 --> 00:00:41,920 Speaker 2: factors like the Anniversary weekend, floods, inflation and post COVID 9 00:00:42,000 --> 00:00:46,159 Speaker 2: recovery contribute it to the worse than expected outcomes, the 10 00:00:46,280 --> 00:00:49,879 Speaker 2: report highlights a number of longer term problem areas that 11 00:00:49,920 --> 00:00:53,120 Speaker 2: the city really needs to address today. On the Front Page, 12 00:00:53,280 --> 00:00:56,760 Speaker 2: ends At Herald's senior writer Simon Wilson joins us to 13 00:00:56,840 --> 00:01:04,480 Speaker 2: analyze the state of Auckland and how the city can improved. Simon, 14 00:01:04,560 --> 00:01:07,960 Speaker 2: what's the purpose of this State of the City report 15 00:01:08,080 --> 00:01:09,640 Speaker 2: and how long has it been running? 16 00:01:10,200 --> 00:01:12,119 Speaker 3: The report was set up last year and the first 17 00:01:12,120 --> 00:01:14,160 Speaker 3: one came out in the middle of last year. It's 18 00:01:14,280 --> 00:01:16,520 Speaker 3: the work of a group called the Committee for Auckland, 19 00:01:16,520 --> 00:01:20,119 Speaker 3: which is civic leaders in the private and public sector, 20 00:01:20,360 --> 00:01:24,319 Speaker 3: as well as the Council Agency Tatuki. Auckland Unlimited, as 21 00:01:24,360 --> 00:01:27,040 Speaker 3: well as KOI TI, which is a think tank associated 22 00:01:27,040 --> 00:01:30,080 Speaker 3: with Auckland University and the Council itself, So it's kind 23 00:01:30,120 --> 00:01:32,880 Speaker 3: of kind of high powered pedigree, if you like. And 24 00:01:32,959 --> 00:01:36,839 Speaker 3: the idea is to benchmark Auckland against nine other comparable 25 00:01:36,880 --> 00:01:42,480 Speaker 3: cities places like Helsinki and Copenhagen in Scandinavia, Brisbane in Australia, 26 00:01:42,800 --> 00:01:46,440 Speaker 3: Austin in Texas America, places like that, to see how 27 00:01:46,480 --> 00:01:49,120 Speaker 3: well we're doing across a range of measures. 28 00:01:48,840 --> 00:01:50,920 Speaker 2: And how did they pick those specific cities. 29 00:01:51,080 --> 00:01:54,720 Speaker 3: Those cities are similar in size to Auckland and are 30 00:01:54,840 --> 00:01:58,480 Speaker 3: generally cities that are quite highly regarded internationally as Auckland does, 31 00:01:58,840 --> 00:02:01,720 Speaker 3: and have a similar ambition, if you like. They want 32 00:02:01,760 --> 00:02:04,440 Speaker 3: to be cities that are working well in the modern world. 33 00:02:04,480 --> 00:02:07,600 Speaker 3: They want to be connected through technology. They want to 34 00:02:07,680 --> 00:02:11,200 Speaker 3: offer opportunities for entrepreneurs and everybody else to come and 35 00:02:11,240 --> 00:02:13,920 Speaker 3: live and work and play. They want the same things 36 00:02:13,919 --> 00:02:17,200 Speaker 3: that we want. So therefore they are our key competitors 37 00:02:17,520 --> 00:02:19,640 Speaker 3: because they are the cities that are also saying to 38 00:02:19,880 --> 00:02:22,919 Speaker 3: all those entrepreneurs and all those people of talent and 39 00:02:22,960 --> 00:02:25,840 Speaker 3: everybody else, don't go to Auckland, come to Brisbane. Or 40 00:02:25,880 --> 00:02:27,400 Speaker 3: come to Helsinki or wherever. 41 00:02:27,600 --> 00:02:30,040 Speaker 2: What exactly does the report measure? 42 00:02:30,320 --> 00:02:33,040 Speaker 3: The report measures a whole lot of different things, ranging 43 00:02:33,080 --> 00:02:37,520 Speaker 3: from prosperity through the quality of the cultural experience through 44 00:02:37,560 --> 00:02:41,200 Speaker 3: its sustainability, a whole lot of stuff about lifestyle, what 45 00:02:41,560 --> 00:02:43,560 Speaker 3: it's like to live in the place, So that's everything 46 00:02:43,600 --> 00:02:45,360 Speaker 3: from you know, when you want to get out in 47 00:02:45,360 --> 00:02:47,000 Speaker 3: the weekend, is the something to do and of course 48 00:02:47,040 --> 00:02:48,920 Speaker 3: in Auckland there's an awful lot to do, through to 49 00:02:49,160 --> 00:02:51,760 Speaker 3: what's the transport like and how safe is it on 50 00:02:51,800 --> 00:02:54,040 Speaker 3: the streets and those sorts of things as well the 51 00:02:54,120 --> 00:02:58,160 Speaker 3: quality of education, the resilience of the city in relation 52 00:02:58,280 --> 00:03:01,800 Speaker 3: to natural disasters and other three and the opportunities that 53 00:03:01,840 --> 00:03:04,920 Speaker 3: people have, the economic, cultural, social opportunities that people have 54 00:03:05,160 --> 00:03:06,040 Speaker 3: as well. 55 00:03:06,280 --> 00:03:09,640 Speaker 4: The State of the City Report is a benchmarking tool 56 00:03:09,680 --> 00:03:13,600 Speaker 4: that looks at how Auckland ranks against competitive cities around 57 00:03:13,639 --> 00:03:16,560 Speaker 4: the world. The report can help us come together to 58 00:03:16,639 --> 00:03:20,320 Speaker 4: forge a consensus on what our priorities for action should be. 59 00:03:20,960 --> 00:03:24,160 Speaker 4: What the things are that are holding Auckland and by extension, 60 00:03:24,160 --> 00:03:24,959 Speaker 4: New Zealand back. 61 00:03:25,720 --> 00:03:28,560 Speaker 2: I guess the headline draw from this report seems to 62 00:03:28,560 --> 00:03:32,240 Speaker 2: be that Auckland is slipping backwards compared to these other cities. 63 00:03:32,320 --> 00:03:33,400 Speaker 2: Is that actually the case. 64 00:03:33,680 --> 00:03:36,280 Speaker 3: That is the case in some key indicators. So they 65 00:03:36,280 --> 00:03:39,600 Speaker 3: had ten key indicators, and we are getting worse in 66 00:03:40,080 --> 00:03:42,120 Speaker 3: four of them. We're the same in three, and we're 67 00:03:42,240 --> 00:03:44,720 Speaker 3: better in three, but in the four that we're getting 68 00:03:44,760 --> 00:03:48,440 Speaker 3: worse in. That's the quality the experience of being in 69 00:03:48,480 --> 00:03:52,520 Speaker 3: the city. It's connectedness, everything from how well we get around, 70 00:03:52,520 --> 00:03:56,240 Speaker 3: but also broadband connectedness and generally how well connected to 71 00:03:56,240 --> 00:04:00,680 Speaker 3: the rest of the world. In sustainability and especially in prosperity, 72 00:04:01,080 --> 00:04:01,840 Speaker 3: we are falling. 73 00:04:02,160 --> 00:04:05,120 Speaker 2: I can certainly see that from everyday life. And I 74 00:04:05,160 --> 00:04:08,320 Speaker 2: mean I often see people like those massive tour buses 75 00:04:08,520 --> 00:04:11,520 Speaker 2: in Auckland, you know, those double decker ones, and I 76 00:04:11,560 --> 00:04:13,920 Speaker 2: often think to myself as I'm walking to work, what 77 00:04:13,960 --> 00:04:15,520 Speaker 2: are they seeing? 78 00:04:16,279 --> 00:04:19,040 Speaker 3: Yep, Well, those buses, those tour buses. They people have 79 00:04:19,120 --> 00:04:20,680 Speaker 3: got off a cruise ship. They're on their way to 80 00:04:20,720 --> 00:04:23,600 Speaker 3: rip Rure or possibly to somewhere up north to bare 81 00:04:23,600 --> 00:04:26,719 Speaker 3: Of Islands for a day trip. They'll see something pretty good. 82 00:04:26,800 --> 00:04:28,960 Speaker 2: You mean, they'll see the sky tower on the way 83 00:04:29,040 --> 00:04:29,960 Speaker 2: past past. 84 00:04:30,040 --> 00:04:30,200 Speaker 5: Yeah. 85 00:04:30,279 --> 00:04:32,320 Speaker 3: Yeah, So if you get off your cruise ship and 86 00:04:32,360 --> 00:04:34,240 Speaker 3: get onto a bus and off you go. That's fine. 87 00:04:34,560 --> 00:04:37,680 Speaker 3: But the larger question in terms of what this report's 88 00:04:37,680 --> 00:04:39,800 Speaker 3: done is said, well, if we want people of talent 89 00:04:39,960 --> 00:04:42,960 Speaker 3: and opportunity to come and live and work here, and 90 00:04:43,000 --> 00:04:46,040 Speaker 3: if we want people to invest here, then how good 91 00:04:46,120 --> 00:04:48,520 Speaker 3: is the offer that we're making. And this report says 92 00:04:48,839 --> 00:04:50,919 Speaker 3: that from the middle of last year to the middle 93 00:04:50,960 --> 00:04:52,919 Speaker 3: of this year it's got worse. 94 00:04:53,200 --> 00:04:55,240 Speaker 2: So what are some of the main reasons for Auckland 95 00:04:55,320 --> 00:04:58,239 Speaker 2: slipping or slowing compared to those other cities. 96 00:04:58,480 --> 00:05:01,400 Speaker 3: House prices one of the key factors. House prices are 97 00:05:01,440 --> 00:05:03,640 Speaker 3: high in many of the cities that we're compared against, 98 00:05:03,920 --> 00:05:06,240 Speaker 3: but they're not as high or they haven't risen as far. 99 00:05:06,800 --> 00:05:10,080 Speaker 3: And that's partly because New Zealand economy and the Auckland 100 00:05:10,120 --> 00:05:14,440 Speaker 3: economy are so dependent on house prices continuing to rise. 101 00:05:14,520 --> 00:05:16,839 Speaker 3: That's how we are structured. You know that there's a 102 00:05:16,960 --> 00:05:19,600 Speaker 3: theory that Auckland is a housing market with an economy 103 00:05:19,640 --> 00:05:22,400 Speaker 3: tacked on, and that is a problem for us in 104 00:05:22,520 --> 00:05:26,080 Speaker 3: terms of attracting people to come here. So that's the 105 00:05:26,240 --> 00:05:28,760 Speaker 3: key issue. We've got better at resilience, which is one 106 00:05:28,760 --> 00:05:31,120 Speaker 3: of the interesting things because of the terrible floods and 107 00:05:31,160 --> 00:05:33,360 Speaker 3: storms we had at the beginning of twenty twenty three. 108 00:05:33,960 --> 00:05:36,920 Speaker 3: We scored low and resilience a year ago, but there 109 00:05:36,920 --> 00:05:39,760 Speaker 3: have been a range of things, including how we mitigate 110 00:05:39,800 --> 00:05:44,119 Speaker 3: against that and plans like the Council's plans for making 111 00:05:44,160 --> 00:05:46,320 Speaker 3: space for water, things like that, which are making the 112 00:05:46,360 --> 00:05:49,400 Speaker 3: city more resilient. So that's a good mark if you like. 113 00:05:49,480 --> 00:05:50,760 Speaker 3: But there's still a lot more to do. 114 00:05:51,080 --> 00:05:55,000 Speaker 2: And you mentioned transport as well. How are we doing 115 00:05:55,000 --> 00:05:55,719 Speaker 2: in that department. 116 00:05:55,760 --> 00:05:57,840 Speaker 3: Well, we're not doing well at all, and I think 117 00:05:57,839 --> 00:06:00,719 Speaker 3: everyone would agree there. One of the underlying factors that 118 00:06:00,960 --> 00:06:04,200 Speaker 3: is highlighted in the report is a disconnect between city 119 00:06:04,240 --> 00:06:08,039 Speaker 3: planning and national planning, and Auckland's Mayor Wayne Brown says 120 00:06:08,080 --> 00:06:10,560 Speaker 3: the same. I think government probably says the same, and 121 00:06:10,680 --> 00:06:14,720 Speaker 3: the attempts to integrate the planning are fraught with difficulty 122 00:06:14,720 --> 00:06:18,200 Speaker 3: because there are different priorities involved. But the cities that 123 00:06:18,240 --> 00:06:21,600 Speaker 3: we're compared against, by and large have much stronger public transport, 124 00:06:22,240 --> 00:06:26,680 Speaker 3: much stronger and safer cycling networks and walking networks, those 125 00:06:26,720 --> 00:06:29,040 Speaker 3: sorts of things which take the pressure off the roads. 126 00:06:29,080 --> 00:06:32,720 Speaker 3: They have often better freight on rail, which again takes 127 00:06:32,760 --> 00:06:35,680 Speaker 3: pressure off the roads, and that's the key to improving 128 00:06:35,800 --> 00:06:39,200 Speaker 3: Auckland's transport, but we're quite a long way from achieving it. 129 00:06:40,920 --> 00:06:43,720 Speaker 6: We're at a three year low in terms of traffic performance, 130 00:06:43,760 --> 00:06:47,440 Speaker 6: and that measures the satisfaction that commuters have. It measures 131 00:06:47,880 --> 00:06:51,359 Speaker 6: the network efficiencies around Auckland. We have improved in terms 132 00:06:51,360 --> 00:06:54,039 Speaker 6: of work life balance in Auckland and also we're back 133 00:06:54,080 --> 00:06:56,120 Speaker 6: into the top thirty in the world in terms of 134 00:06:56,160 --> 00:06:58,600 Speaker 6: student appeal. So look, there's some great news and things 135 00:06:58,640 --> 00:06:59,440 Speaker 6: we should be proud of. 136 00:07:00,880 --> 00:07:04,120 Speaker 2: Well, you know Auckland better than most people, I'd say, 137 00:07:04,520 --> 00:07:06,760 Speaker 2: do you agree with this report's findings. 138 00:07:07,000 --> 00:07:09,679 Speaker 3: I do. This is a great place to live if 139 00:07:09,720 --> 00:07:13,120 Speaker 3: you have a decent job and you don't live too 140 00:07:13,160 --> 00:07:16,320 Speaker 3: far away. Otherwise it starts to get problematic, and we've 141 00:07:16,360 --> 00:07:18,240 Speaker 3: got to make it a greater place to live for 142 00:07:18,280 --> 00:07:21,320 Speaker 3: a whole lot more people and simply that category if 143 00:07:21,360 --> 00:07:24,200 Speaker 3: you like. One of the things that the report says 144 00:07:24,240 --> 00:07:27,600 Speaker 3: that's interesting is that the objective measures are one thing, 145 00:07:27,720 --> 00:07:30,000 Speaker 3: and that's what they've done, but they've also tried to 146 00:07:30,040 --> 00:07:33,480 Speaker 3: assess perception and they've said that the perceptions of people 147 00:07:33,960 --> 00:07:37,240 Speaker 3: from around the world looking at Auckland, if they've had 148 00:07:37,280 --> 00:07:39,200 Speaker 3: something to do with it, here, they can be quite 149 00:07:39,320 --> 00:07:42,280 Speaker 3: favorably impressed with it, But if they're just hearing about it, 150 00:07:42,640 --> 00:07:45,800 Speaker 3: what the hearing is slipping that the city has more trouble, 151 00:07:45,920 --> 00:07:49,160 Speaker 3: more problems than it deserves, if you like. And that's 152 00:07:49,240 --> 00:07:53,160 Speaker 3: really because we've had a great deal of trouble positioning ourselves. 153 00:07:53,520 --> 00:07:55,400 Speaker 3: You know, we like to say we're a high tech economy. 154 00:07:55,440 --> 00:07:58,760 Speaker 3: We're actually not. We like to say that we're a 155 00:07:58,800 --> 00:08:01,720 Speaker 3: place where it's torrific to bring up kids. Well that's 156 00:08:01,880 --> 00:08:05,680 Speaker 3: clearly not true as well relative to other cities, and 157 00:08:06,000 --> 00:08:07,920 Speaker 3: the things we like to say about ourselves kind of 158 00:08:07,920 --> 00:08:10,320 Speaker 3: get in the way a bit of actually making progress 159 00:08:10,320 --> 00:08:13,680 Speaker 3: in those areas. So there's a problem there. It is 160 00:08:13,760 --> 00:08:16,560 Speaker 3: a good place, but it ought to be an exceptional place. 161 00:08:16,640 --> 00:08:19,800 Speaker 3: It has everything going for it in terms of its location, 162 00:08:19,960 --> 00:08:25,080 Speaker 3: it's climate, it's natural beauty, and stable democracy and relatively 163 00:08:25,120 --> 00:08:27,720 Speaker 3: strong economy compared to many parts of the world. It 164 00:08:27,760 --> 00:08:30,200 Speaker 3: ought to be a terrific place, and we're not making 165 00:08:30,240 --> 00:08:30,760 Speaker 3: the most of it. 166 00:08:41,800 --> 00:08:45,720 Speaker 2: Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown describes in the press release that 167 00:08:45,840 --> 00:08:48,480 Speaker 2: came along with this report that Auckland is more of 168 00:08:48,520 --> 00:08:51,600 Speaker 2: a city state than a local council, and it needs 169 00:08:51,600 --> 00:08:55,840 Speaker 2: an Auckland deal in order to improve what's your response. 170 00:08:55,559 --> 00:08:57,840 Speaker 3: To that, Well, the government says the same thing, but 171 00:08:57,960 --> 00:09:02,640 Speaker 3: the Auckland deal will be made not made, particularly around transport. 172 00:09:02,880 --> 00:09:05,840 Speaker 3: Wayne Brown is pushing for an Auckland integrated transport plan, 173 00:09:06,200 --> 00:09:08,320 Speaker 3: but he's also made it clear that he doesn't share 174 00:09:08,400 --> 00:09:12,120 Speaker 3: the government's priorities for where the main transport money should 175 00:09:12,160 --> 00:09:14,760 Speaker 3: be spent. So how you get an Auckland deal in 176 00:09:14,800 --> 00:09:18,600 Speaker 3: that way will be pretty problematic. In addition to that, 177 00:09:19,120 --> 00:09:22,240 Speaker 3: while it's true that the New Zealand economy is largely 178 00:09:22,320 --> 00:09:25,520 Speaker 3: dependent on exports from the rural sector, food and fiber, 179 00:09:25,640 --> 00:09:28,880 Speaker 3: trees and meat and dairy in particular, we need to 180 00:09:28,920 --> 00:09:31,600 Speaker 3: be able to grow our tech sector and we need 181 00:09:31,640 --> 00:09:33,800 Speaker 3: to do that in agriculture as much as everywhere else 182 00:09:33,840 --> 00:09:36,760 Speaker 3: in Auckland has potentially a much bigger role to play 183 00:09:37,080 --> 00:09:40,040 Speaker 3: in doing that than it currently shoulders now So there 184 00:09:40,080 --> 00:09:43,319 Speaker 3: is disconnect with the universities's disconnect with some of the 185 00:09:43,360 --> 00:09:46,280 Speaker 3: specialist institutions, and they all need to be working much 186 00:09:46,320 --> 00:09:50,040 Speaker 3: more closely with government, with Council, with the city, with 187 00:09:50,240 --> 00:09:52,480 Speaker 3: money in the city to exploit their potential. 188 00:09:54,080 --> 00:09:57,679 Speaker 5: Auckland is special nowhere in Australia or New Zealand as 189 00:09:57,720 --> 00:10:01,360 Speaker 5: any council looking after a third of the Now I 190 00:10:01,400 --> 00:10:03,120 Speaker 5: am the representative. 191 00:10:02,480 --> 00:10:04,160 Speaker 3: Of a third of New zeal And. 192 00:10:04,440 --> 00:10:06,640 Speaker 5: We're treated as if we're just a horror for neur 193 00:10:06,679 --> 00:10:09,720 Speaker 5: council wherever that is. This is a driver of the country. 194 00:10:09,920 --> 00:10:12,640 Speaker 5: If Aukland does well, the country does well. We are 195 00:10:12,720 --> 00:10:15,320 Speaker 5: forty percent of the economy, we produce forty percent of 196 00:10:15,320 --> 00:10:19,000 Speaker 5: the packs, and we don't get our share back well. 197 00:10:19,040 --> 00:10:22,600 Speaker 2: Brown's tenure as mayor has been dictated largely by what 198 00:10:22,640 --> 00:10:25,640 Speaker 2: the city has done wrong. I suppose do you think 199 00:10:25,640 --> 00:10:28,360 Speaker 2: he's championing the positive sides of Auckland. 200 00:10:28,640 --> 00:10:33,280 Speaker 3: One of the great issues for all cities is that 201 00:10:33,320 --> 00:10:37,079 Speaker 3: they need champions. The champion is the cheerleader who gets 202 00:10:37,080 --> 00:10:38,520 Speaker 3: out there into the world and says, look at the 203 00:10:38,559 --> 00:10:41,040 Speaker 3: wonderful things we do in our city, and gets among 204 00:10:41,080 --> 00:10:45,760 Speaker 3: the citizenry and inspires us all to play our little 205 00:10:45,760 --> 00:10:49,080 Speaker 3: part to make the city better and bolder and more 206 00:10:49,200 --> 00:10:51,920 Speaker 3: terrific to be in. Which means that you've got to 207 00:10:51,960 --> 00:10:53,600 Speaker 3: find a way to say this is wrong and we're 208 00:10:53,600 --> 00:10:56,000 Speaker 3: going to fix it. But you've also really got to 209 00:10:56,000 --> 00:10:58,320 Speaker 3: find the way to make people feel good about things 210 00:10:58,400 --> 00:11:02,920 Speaker 3: and do better and set those benchmarks high. Many New 211 00:11:02,960 --> 00:11:06,360 Speaker 3: Zealand politicians find it easier to complain, and in my 212 00:11:06,480 --> 00:11:09,040 Speaker 3: own view, our mayor when Brown, finds it far easier 213 00:11:09,080 --> 00:11:11,079 Speaker 3: to complain than actually make things better. 214 00:11:11,160 --> 00:11:13,840 Speaker 2: Well. The Harold also recently reported that Brown wants to 215 00:11:14,040 --> 00:11:18,040 Speaker 2: put elected officials in charge of Auckland Transport, bring ekir 216 00:11:18,120 --> 00:11:23,360 Speaker 2: Panaku Auckland and Taratuki Auckland Limited in house. Do you 217 00:11:23,440 --> 00:11:26,880 Speaker 2: think those changes are something the city needs and would 218 00:11:26,920 --> 00:11:30,120 Speaker 2: that actually address the concerns raised in this report. 219 00:11:30,240 --> 00:11:33,920 Speaker 3: It's a really interesting challenge. Firstly, I think the mayor 220 00:11:33,960 --> 00:11:36,920 Speaker 3: is absolutely right we should have more democratic control over 221 00:11:36,960 --> 00:11:40,439 Speaker 3: Auckland Transport and the other agencies of council. The Auckland 222 00:11:40,480 --> 00:11:44,640 Speaker 3: Transport spends about half of the Council's income and yet 223 00:11:44,640 --> 00:11:47,960 Speaker 3: it's an independent board and is not as answerable to 224 00:11:48,040 --> 00:11:51,320 Speaker 3: Counsel to our elected representatives as it should be. So 225 00:11:51,360 --> 00:11:53,880 Speaker 3: the Mayor is quite right about that. More democracy would 226 00:11:53,880 --> 00:11:57,240 Speaker 3: be great. However, the bigger issue is the disconnect I 227 00:11:57,320 --> 00:12:01,199 Speaker 3: was talking about between central government and low government, and 228 00:12:01,400 --> 00:12:03,439 Speaker 3: Auckland Transport at the moment is kind of stuck in 229 00:12:03,480 --> 00:12:05,640 Speaker 3: the middle a little bit between them and then the 230 00:12:05,679 --> 00:12:08,880 Speaker 3: third factor is I don't know if Wayne Brown is 231 00:12:08,880 --> 00:12:12,400 Speaker 3: fully aware of the danger of getting what he wishes for, 232 00:12:12,800 --> 00:12:16,079 Speaker 3: because every Auckland council we've had since the super city 233 00:12:16,160 --> 00:12:20,000 Speaker 3: was formed in twenty ten has been a council that 234 00:12:20,160 --> 00:12:26,160 Speaker 3: believed in public transport, believed in lowering emissions. And there 235 00:12:26,240 --> 00:12:29,720 Speaker 3: is still a council policy called the Transport Emissions Reduction 236 00:12:29,880 --> 00:12:34,000 Speaker 3: Plan the URB, which calls for us really significant emissions 237 00:12:34,000 --> 00:12:37,720 Speaker 3: reductions by twenty thirty in our transport in this city. 238 00:12:38,000 --> 00:12:42,760 Speaker 3: That TURB is not being implemented by Auckland Transport. But 239 00:12:42,880 --> 00:12:48,040 Speaker 3: if transport planning came under the auspices directly of Auckland Council, 240 00:12:48,280 --> 00:12:51,040 Speaker 3: then most councilors would say, we've got to do much 241 00:12:51,080 --> 00:12:53,840 Speaker 3: more to make that a reality, To lower our emissions, 242 00:12:53,880 --> 00:12:57,960 Speaker 3: to increase public transport, cycling and walking, to make the 243 00:12:58,000 --> 00:13:01,760 Speaker 3: streets safer and easier to be in for everybody. That 244 00:13:01,880 --> 00:13:05,079 Speaker 3: is what the public consistently says they want when they 245 00:13:05,200 --> 00:13:08,720 Speaker 3: are asked to vote or to make public submissions. It's 246 00:13:08,840 --> 00:13:11,840 Speaker 3: very consistent and very clear, and yet it hasn't really 247 00:13:11,880 --> 00:13:15,480 Speaker 3: been done. So yes, Brown's right, we need more democracy, 248 00:13:15,840 --> 00:13:18,679 Speaker 3: but I also think he may not be fully aware 249 00:13:18,720 --> 00:13:23,280 Speaker 3: that what he's arguing for is a lower emissions transport economy, 250 00:13:23,760 --> 00:13:26,680 Speaker 3: which will make the streets safer and more pleasant to 251 00:13:26,720 --> 00:13:30,080 Speaker 3: be on and will have those really big improvements in 252 00:13:30,120 --> 00:13:31,240 Speaker 3: public transport well. 253 00:13:31,280 --> 00:13:37,280 Speaker 2: The report's three main recommendations involving building up Auckland's competitive 254 00:13:37,400 --> 00:13:42,800 Speaker 2: position in key industries, national policies to form a national 255 00:13:43,000 --> 00:13:49,560 Speaker 2: local consensus on infrastructure, and conscientious and collaborative leadership about 256 00:13:49,559 --> 00:13:55,199 Speaker 2: the city's direction, appeal and identity development. Now buzzwords aside. 257 00:13:55,840 --> 00:13:58,480 Speaker 3: Yeah, I'll tell you it is really hard to say 258 00:13:58,520 --> 00:14:02,920 Speaker 3: buzzwords aside because the report is an exercise in buzzwords. 259 00:14:03,120 --> 00:14:06,360 Speaker 3: It's so riddled with jargon. One of the reasons for 260 00:14:06,440 --> 00:14:08,760 Speaker 3: it is that you can describe a problem in jargon, 261 00:14:09,040 --> 00:14:14,400 Speaker 3: which is theoretically technical language or professional language, and avoid 262 00:14:14,440 --> 00:14:17,240 Speaker 3: talking about the politics. But the reason we have this 263 00:14:17,360 --> 00:14:20,680 Speaker 3: and not that is political always because there have been 264 00:14:20,720 --> 00:14:23,720 Speaker 3: political choices made to build that road, not to have 265 00:14:23,800 --> 00:14:27,040 Speaker 3: those buses, to have mari wards or not have marrii wards, 266 00:14:27,160 --> 00:14:29,960 Speaker 3: all those sorts of things. They are political choices. One 267 00:14:30,040 --> 00:14:33,120 Speaker 3: of the things this report says is that Auckland is 268 00:14:33,120 --> 00:14:35,320 Speaker 3: one of the most diverse cities in the world is 269 00:14:35,440 --> 00:14:38,200 Speaker 3: right up the top. We really don't exploit the potential 270 00:14:38,200 --> 00:14:41,400 Speaker 3: of that, and it is also founded on this remarkable 271 00:14:41,480 --> 00:14:45,760 Speaker 3: relationship or a relationship with a remarkable potential between Mani 272 00:14:45,760 --> 00:14:49,160 Speaker 3: Fenua and everybody else, and we don't exploit that. Well, 273 00:14:49,520 --> 00:14:52,080 Speaker 3: those things are political, may require leadership, and if we 274 00:14:52,160 --> 00:14:55,720 Speaker 3: had them, it's part of making Auckland really special because 275 00:14:55,720 --> 00:14:57,880 Speaker 3: those provide us with our. 276 00:14:57,920 --> 00:15:02,240 Speaker 2: Uniqueness in terms of buzzwords aside and I'm assuming you 277 00:15:02,280 --> 00:15:05,440 Speaker 2: wrung them through perhaps AI to decipher what everything was, 278 00:15:07,520 --> 00:15:11,640 Speaker 2: what everything meant, or it may make it worse. Does 279 00:15:11,680 --> 00:15:14,080 Speaker 2: that sound about right to you? Or do you think 280 00:15:14,120 --> 00:15:18,000 Speaker 2: we should look at other changes? Perhaps we do need 281 00:15:18,040 --> 00:15:21,200 Speaker 2: to be more competitive in those key industries though, don't. 282 00:15:20,920 --> 00:15:22,080 Speaker 3: We Yes, we do, Yes, we do. 283 00:15:22,160 --> 00:15:22,280 Speaker 6: So. 284 00:15:22,680 --> 00:15:24,960 Speaker 3: One of the elements of that is that A good 285 00:15:24,960 --> 00:15:27,520 Speaker 3: example of the challenge for Auckland and for New Zealand 286 00:15:27,800 --> 00:15:31,040 Speaker 3: is from Terra's recent decision to get out of value 287 00:15:31,080 --> 00:15:34,240 Speaker 3: added milk powder products and other words, the cheeses and 288 00:15:34,320 --> 00:15:36,880 Speaker 3: all the rest that its various brands are producing and 289 00:15:36,920 --> 00:15:40,400 Speaker 3: simply concentrate on commodity production and export of milk powder. 290 00:15:41,320 --> 00:15:44,120 Speaker 1: Here we giant Fonterra one of the largest dairy producers 291 00:15:44,120 --> 00:15:46,320 Speaker 1: in the world, is changing the way it does business. 292 00:15:46,360 --> 00:15:48,360 Speaker 1: It's looking at selling off some of our most well 293 00:15:48,400 --> 00:15:52,720 Speaker 1: known brands, among them Anchor, Mainland Carpetsy, Fern Leaf and 294 00:15:52,880 --> 00:15:55,920 Speaker 1: Mum Baby Formula and Fresh and Fruity. The consumer channel, 295 00:15:55,960 --> 00:15:59,720 Speaker 1: your kitchen staples, milk, cheese, yogurt, butter earned a three 296 00:15:59,720 --> 00:16:02,640 Speaker 1: point three figure and that is the arm being sold. 297 00:16:04,240 --> 00:16:08,440 Speaker 3: Now, that's anti everything that we've been told for a 298 00:16:08,640 --> 00:16:11,280 Speaker 3: long time. Now this country and its economy needs to 299 00:16:11,280 --> 00:16:14,680 Speaker 3: be doing an exports. It undermines it completely. Fonterra is 300 00:16:14,680 --> 00:16:18,400 Speaker 3: an Auckland company based here, and we'll find it very 301 00:16:18,440 --> 00:16:20,680 Speaker 3: easy to tell you all about the high tech work 302 00:16:20,680 --> 00:16:23,200 Speaker 3: they're doing and how sophisticated they are and blah blah blah. 303 00:16:23,280 --> 00:16:27,160 Speaker 3: The reality is they are have decided not to lead 304 00:16:27,280 --> 00:16:29,960 Speaker 3: in that tech area, but to just get back to 305 00:16:30,000 --> 00:16:33,120 Speaker 3: that commodity production. That's a real challenge for the city. 306 00:16:33,240 --> 00:16:35,880 Speaker 3: If the big dairy company isn't going to do that, 307 00:16:36,040 --> 00:16:39,120 Speaker 3: how are we going to prosper and grow as a 308 00:16:39,160 --> 00:16:43,320 Speaker 3: city relying on highly skilled people to generate money for 309 00:16:43,440 --> 00:16:46,320 Speaker 3: us for the city economy. And it's you know, it's 310 00:16:46,360 --> 00:16:48,720 Speaker 3: hard to know the answer to that when the corporates 311 00:16:48,960 --> 00:16:51,080 Speaker 3: aren't doing their bit in this case font Era. 312 00:16:51,280 --> 00:16:55,520 Speaker 2: And lastly, Simon, after reading the report, would you be 313 00:16:55,720 --> 00:16:58,200 Speaker 2: staying in Auckland or would you be moving to Copenhagen 314 00:16:58,280 --> 00:16:58,680 Speaker 2: or the like? 315 00:16:58,960 --> 00:17:02,000 Speaker 3: I would stay in all. However, would I like to 316 00:17:02,000 --> 00:17:04,680 Speaker 3: spend some time in some of those other cities us 317 00:17:04,720 --> 00:17:08,520 Speaker 3: in Geek, Copenhagen, Austin which I've been to, Yeah, definitely. 318 00:17:08,640 --> 00:17:11,600 Speaker 3: Dublin's another one, though. There are cities there that are 319 00:17:11,800 --> 00:17:14,439 Speaker 3: doing exciting things and we could learn from and it 320 00:17:14,440 --> 00:17:16,520 Speaker 3: would be great for us to have the chance to 321 00:17:16,560 --> 00:17:18,920 Speaker 3: do that. The other things this report says is that 322 00:17:18,960 --> 00:17:21,200 Speaker 3: even if you look at bigger cities, and it gives 323 00:17:21,200 --> 00:17:24,640 Speaker 3: the example of Saint Paulo in Brazil and New Delhi 324 00:17:24,760 --> 00:17:29,439 Speaker 3: in India, which are both enormous, enormous cities, they have 325 00:17:29,600 --> 00:17:31,840 Speaker 3: really exciting things going on that we think of them 326 00:17:31,880 --> 00:17:35,520 Speaker 3: as kind of just full of people and not doing much, 327 00:17:35,600 --> 00:17:38,920 Speaker 3: but it's actually not true. And where cities in those 328 00:17:38,960 --> 00:17:45,200 Speaker 3: developing countries are doing really fascinating things to build their economies, 329 00:17:45,280 --> 00:17:48,080 Speaker 3: and we're sitting here Smokeley going it's isn't it nice 330 00:17:48,080 --> 00:17:50,480 Speaker 3: to be here? The challenge just gets bigger and bigger 331 00:17:50,480 --> 00:17:50,960 Speaker 3: for us. 332 00:17:50,840 --> 00:17:54,160 Speaker 2: As we sep our twenty eight dollar cocktail on the waterfront. 333 00:17:55,480 --> 00:18:03,760 Speaker 2: Thanks for joining us, Simon. That said, for this episode 334 00:18:03,800 --> 00:18:06,640 Speaker 2: of the Front Page, you can read more about today's 335 00:18:06,680 --> 00:18:11,000 Speaker 2: stories and extensive news coverage at enzedherld dot co dot z. 336 00:18:11,800 --> 00:18:14,720 Speaker 2: The Front Page is produced by Ethan Siles with sound 337 00:18:14,760 --> 00:18:19,399 Speaker 2: engineer Patty Fox. I'm Chelsea Daniels. Subscribe to the Front 338 00:18:19,400 --> 00:18:22,720 Speaker 2: Page on iHeartRadio or wherever you get your podcasts, and 339 00:18:22,800 --> 00:18:26,040 Speaker 2: tune in tomorrow for another look behind the headlines.