Comment: Grown-up Tauranga needs to focus on its 'brand'

In November 2011 I had the pleasure of speaking to the graduands of Otumoetai College, my old alma mater.

To say it was an uplifting experience would be an understatement; it was totally inspirational.

These bright and talented young people, who ably demonstrated their academic, sporting and community achievements, in a rich and culturally diverse environment, were leaving high school to make their mark on the world.

Many I talked to ultimately sought leadership roles and had a plan as to how to achieve this; most were leaving Tauranga to do so.

I left for exactly the same reasons in 1982, heading over the hill to Waikato University and placing firmly in my rear-view mirror a plethora of "over-the-hill" attitudes that had held Tauranga back for years.

But that was 1982. Thirty years later, Tauranga is a different place. It's on the cusp of becoming a major New Zealand city - as opposed to a large town. The question is, what is Tauranga's brand?

Increasingly cities compete with cities globally for talent, resources and economic growth opportunities. A beach, albeit it one of international standing, is not a winning value proposition.

Tauranga's neighbours, Hamilton, Rotorua and Taupo, have clear and distinctive brands and leverage them to good effect.

At the end of The Vote last Wednesday, the TV3 show in which two teams are pitched against each other on a topic of hot debate, we were all asked where we would choose to live if we relocated. I answered Tauranga.

Easy answer really - the gravitas of "home" is spiritually magnetic. Thank God for small mercies like not growing up in Palmy.

Tauranga has certainly grown up - and out - in the past three decades.

But small cities are different from big towns and I wonder if Tauranga has grasped this?

This is relevant because Tauranga is on a trajectory to becoming a big New Zealand city and a natural competitor to Auckland given its geographical positioning, climate and high-performing port.

Cities have a different vibe from even the largest towns, a restless energy that sparks anticipation, while subtly whispering to its inhabitants that this is home.

Of course, that whisper means different things to different people, often based on age and stage, and therein lies the complexity of leading the growth of an attractive city.

Ultimately it needs to be planned around more than just its natural attractions.

During Hirepool's major growth phase (2003-2009), while we were developing new branches throughout New Zealand, we learned first hand which councils were business friendly and which were not.

There were no higher hurdles put in our way than by the then-Tauranga Council.

During that time we met numerous business owners who, out of sheer frustration, took their businesses elsewhere; mostly to Hamilton, ultimately employing many hundreds of people among them. All wanted to set up shop in Tauranga.

Still - a city is more than just the sum of its economy. That said, I have yet to see a vibrant city with a sluggish one.

Educational institutes, for example, are a key centre of gravity because they attract bright, young talent.

Soon to augment the BOP Polytechnic is the University of Waikato, and not before time, with the development of its Tauranga campus.

Ultimately, this will boost Tauranga's burgeoning creative arts and music scenes and add to the nightlife, which is mostly fuelled by the younger generation.

I wonder how many returning Otumoetai College grads will be among them, fuelling not just the nightlife but the economic and social leadership that is necessary to lead a city's growth.

Tenby Powell is a prominent New Zealand businessman and former lieutenant colonel in the New Zealand Army.