By SIMON COLLINS
Auckland local bodies have agreed to cooperate on attracting new investment, in the wake of the failed bid to entice cellphone giant Motorola to the region.
But Trade NZ chief executive Fran Wilde said yesterday that the councils should go further and amalgamate their economic development bodies.
The councils' move, in a memorandum of understanding signed by their chief executives, follows Motorola's decision to build a research centre in Australia rather than New Zealand. The Chicago-based company had looked at Auckland and Christchurch locations.
The chairwoman of Auckland's city attractions committee, Victoria Carter, said Motorola's approach brought the local bodies, business and universities together to put up a proposal.
"It was the first time we had ever undertaken a significant partnership with the business community and the university," she said.
The chief executives of Auckland, North Shore, Waitakere and Manukau cities, Rodney, Papakura and Franklin districts and the Auckland Regional Council have agreed to cooperate in four areas:
* Submissions and advocacy, such as a recent delegation of the four city mayors who met ministers Jim Anderton, Pete Hodgson and Judith Tizard to ensure that Auckland was included in proposed regional development funding.
* Major events, such as the America's Cup and Rally NZ.
* Promoting industry clusters, such as the marine industry in Waitakere and Auckland and information technology across the region.
* Promoting the region to potential investors.
The agreement will be put to the councils for ratification at their next meetings.
Ms Carter said the councils decided against creating a new body to promote investment in the region, along the lines of the Canterbury Development Corporation or Invest Wellington Region.
Instead, economic development units in the separate councils would work together.
Last week, for instance, North Shore, Auckland and Manukau cities gave a joint presentation to an overseas investor looking to set up a business in New Zealand.
But Fran Wilde, whose organisation coordinates the national drive to attract foreign investment, said competing proposals to Motorola from those three cities last year showed the need for a single regional economic development agency.
It would be even better to amalgamate the councils.
Councils pull together to pitch for business
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