Auckland mayoral candidate Leo Molloy with his mayoral campaign bus. Photo / Brett Phibbs
Auckland mayoral candidate Leo Molloy with his mayoral campaign bus. Photo / Brett Phibbs
With Auckland's CBD lacking the hustle and bustle of office workers with more people working from home, and with the hospitality industry suffering as a result, Kirsty Wynn asked our mayoral candidates what they would do to revive the city.
Leo Molloy
What do you think would encourage workers back to Auckland city?
Central government has destroyed the confidence of those who inhabit the CBD, thus central government has a responsibility to reach out now and say "enough is enough" and we have to resume normal life (as many already have).
This Covid strategy should never have been driven by health professionals or academics (alone) who have no real world experience, it should have been a combined business, health, and societal focused strategy, including veterinarians who deal with corona viruses regularly.
We've completely overreacted to what was a quite manageable pandemic... aided and abetted by hysterical journalism …put simply we didn't have to tear NZ apart to solve a fairly infectious but not particularly virulent virus …and if we'd purchased Paxlovid or any protease inhibitor earlier we could've been back to normal by now.
What transport/parking solutions would you suggest?
Give free parking seven days a week across the entire city until normal service resumes, and make public transport free using the surplus RFT ($300 million ) for 12 months to encourage weekend activity.
What plans do you have (big or small) to help businesses in the city recover after Covid?
Small to medium businesses are the "whipping boys" of a detached idealistic government at the central and local level.
We need to ease the labour supply, compensate for disruption, target support to those directly impacted by for example MIQ facilities, and stop using Auckland central as an MSD, Corrections & government agency dumping ground.
We are NOT the human rubbish bin of this government.
What can be improved to make Auckland City a better place to work and visit?
The CBD hostels should be populated with tourists on work visas, young travellers, international students, and productive members of society, not infested with those poor buggers who've sadly fallen through the cracks of life, those who should be in the care of mental health services or wraparound support services, and unfortunately, in conjunction with those neglected by the system, a small minority of those fringe undesirables who commit wanton and dangerous crimes, typically at night
Viv Beck
Viv Beck, chief executive of the business group Heart of the City. Photo / Supplied
What do you think would encourage workers back to Auckland city?
Vibrant and creative environments with a lot of things on help to encourage people back. Other things that make a difference are open-air spaces to relax and socialise, and high-tech, sustainable office buildings with good facilities. Add to that great dining, hospitality and events and there is a real point of difference over working from home.
There is a lot of optimism that city centres will regain their mojo and it's great to see this happening overseas. People are getting behind initiatives that are under way to bring our city to life over the coming months, including more people coming back to the office. You can easily meet up with clients and socialise in the city and it's a great place for entertainment you can't get elsewhere.
What transport/parking solutions would you suggest?
Transport has to meet people's needs and offer a reliable service that takes them where they want to go. One of the things we have seen through Covid is that public transport hasn't been able to adapt to meet changing needs. This has to be addressed to be effective as we come out of Covid.
While ultimately it's the quality of the service that will make the biggest different to public transport, the half-price offer that has just kicked in for three months will make it more affordable and help to get patronage back up.
Some of the private operators are also offering half-price parking for the same period, which will offer alternatives for convenient access. It would be good to see some lateral thinking by Auckland Transport to utilise spare capacity in their car park buildings too.
Ease of travel and flexibility is important for people wanting to avoid a peak hour rush, which opens up opportunities for rideshare and other modes of transport. Some office buildings have good facilities for cyclists.
What plans do you have (big or small) to help businesses in the city recover after Covid?
The return of office workers and students will bring an immediate boost to businesses and the vibrancy of the city. The return of tourists, international events and conferences will also help businesses to recover, as will the return of cruise. Certainty of dates and promotion is important given the length of time our country has been closed and the lure of other destinations.
Given the shock our city has had and the length of the restrictions we have faced, I would like to see more investment in incentives to help bring people back to support small businesses that have been hit so hard, as other cities like Sydney and Melbourne are doing. Bringing the fun and excitement back with regular events like concerts, festivals block parties and pop-ups will also help.
Smaller things can make a difference too, like buying coffees and lunches to support your local favourites. Buying vouchers is another way to show your support and they make great gifts.
What can be improved to make Auckland City a better place to work and visit?
Pre Covid the night-time economy was doing well and I'd like to see this really get some traction, building on some of the great things we already have that Covid has challenged. This is not just about bars and nightlife, it includes the return of arts and cultural events, and ensuring a welcoming place for other activity in the evening – for families, residents and shift workers too. Some cities have a night "mayor" to drive a strong night time and this is something I would consider to support our Covid recovery.
It's really important that people feel safe and welcome. There is work under way to improve safety and cleaning, which have deteriorated through Covid and this focus must continue. More police resource and better management of emergency housing is a must, along with support services for those who need them.
Efeso Collins
Efeso Collins. Photo / Supplied
What do you think would encourage workers back to Auckland city?
Ultimately we all crave companionship, connection and proximity to each other. I have personally enjoyed the new way of working when the situation demanded it but have also longed for those "water cooler" conversations about each other and world affairs that cannot be hand with a scheduled Zoom meeting.
It's also important we focus on how we invigorate all our business districts and employment hubs across the city. The city centre business area is vital alongside all other parts of our city.
For me, in terms of encouraging workers back to work, across the city - the main priority has to be a free and frequent public transport system that will create an incentive for workers, who might be worried about travelling at a time when petrol is so high, along with increasing productivity as we ease congestion on our motorways.
Secure housing tenure will also get workers back into the city. Joining more than 40,000 central city residents means that people could be within walking distance of work, close to fantastic amenities and a growing sense of community. Key to this will be long term tenure for renters and affordable apartments for young professionals and families.
Ultimately once the hesitation and trauma of a global pandemic subsides I expect people will be much more willing to return to the social being we are wired to be.
What transport/parking solutions would you suggest?
My views on transport are well known and I believe transport has to be an enabler of everything from commerce, social connection and sustainability. Fare-free public transport will lead to increased productivity as evidenced in the data and increase social connection we all long for.
If a person living in Howick, Glenfield or Ranui needs to get into the city for work meeting or lecture then their transport costs will be high, so we need to incentivise public transport by removing cost barriers, ensuring frequency and broadening the network. I am open to having the conversation about congestion charging as a way of pricing private travel but would like to see what Aucklanders think. It seems much fairer than regressive petrol taxes which penalises everyone regardless of how they access the transport/roading network.
I support increased pedestrian and cycling infrastructure which means we have to have a hard conversation about we maximise the space we have to move around on. That means working with local communities and businesses to understand the benefits of more bus lanes and safe cycling paths.
What plans do you have (big or small) to help businesses in the city recover after Covid?
I believe they will recover and thrive in the future and better days are ahead. Sadly some businesses have folded, some remain vulnerable and some have thrived. The city centre will always be a strong domain of commercial activity, entertainment and retail as well as a drawcard for residents and visitors to our city.
In the interim I believe we need to look at the over $20 million of targeted rates we collect from residents and businesses in the city and see if there are opportunities to recalibrate what the immediate needs are, compared to long term needs. Those who pay that targeted rate on top of all other taxes would expect responsible use of that money to make their lives better, especially as we recover. I'd love to see how we can support businesses, residents and visitors make the city centre a welcoming, safe and accessible place for Aucklanders and NZers by promoting what we offer.
I also plan to request Auckland Unlimited as our economic development and visitor attraction agency to provide a plan that is fit for the future than the past to reinvigorate the central city and our suburbs. Our current economic development plan is a rehash of pre-covid thinking with very little new investment. All councillors and local board members have a stake in how the city comes out of this and will need to be involved in a debate about re-prioritising funding and learn from experiences such as the America's Cup invest into more sustainable and reliable economic development and event partners.
The government has a big part to play in this and the Auckland Mayor and council will need to build cross-party relationships with Wellington on a way forward to help business survive and thrive. I will bring together key business leaders regularly to discuss how Council and commerce can actively build the city together.
What can be improved to make Auckland City a better place to work and visit?
The central city has been getting a hammering on safety and security recently and I hear it from my own family and friends about how uncomfortable people feel walking around the city at night. It's a challenge supporting our night-time economy which includes entertainment and unfortunately the excessive consumption of alcohol with making the place attractive to people from all walks of life and especially families.
I think we have to address crime and safety in the central city and that is not as easy as CCTV, sprinklers and security. Yes more police would help but Police also depend on the surveillance and help of the public. We are unlikely to have a cop on every street corner anytime soon. I plan to work with our police, private security, government agencies, our support services and groups such as Maori and Pacific wardens to provide a collective approach to crime and injury prevention. We already have this in place through our safety collective that council co-ordinates and we need to ramp this up.
I think Auckland can also look at international experiences of how to reinvigorate the central city through events, food trucks, alfresco dining, markets, street performers and attracting a diverse clientele to the city. I would be keen to understand if regulations such as bylaws make this harder and see if we can open up more of our public space to people and business. When we came out of earlier lockdowns we were more permissive about hospitality business using our public places so why not enable that more.
We need to also look at our city as a whole and look after some of our smaller centres that don't have the natural advantages and successful track record of the CBD, Newmarket and Ponsonby. I would like to lead a council that looks after all of our city so the small retailers in Pukekohe, Old Papatoetoe and Rodney feel the same level of care and concern from all of their elected representatives and feel council is working to make their lives better rather than getting in their way.
My campaign is committed to listening, collaboration and making informed calls on what's best for the city. We are all being asked to pivot as this is not a return to pre-Covid conditions from two years ago. This is about the city we establish now build on shared values of understanding, ambition and hope. We want to look back in 20 years time knowing that we all did everything possible to reduce our carbon emissions and lay the foundations for sustainable future.
Wayne Brown
Auckland Mayoral candidate Wayne Brown at his campaign launch in Avondale. Photo / Dean Purcell
What do you think would encourage workers back to Auckland city?
Fixing and finishing the endless construction projects under way would bring life back to the CBD. We need move from a dirty, dusty construction zone, back to being an active and attractive CBD.
What are the essential transport solutions to make it easy for people to get to and around the central city?
We need to finish the projects already under way and put the road cones away. We need make better use of technology so that public transport is a reliable option, that gets you where you want to be with minimal delays. We don't need to waste money on more fancy plans – just get the job done.
What plans do you have (big or small) to help businesses in the city recover after Covid?
Business recovery will be driven by greater foot traffic and ease of movement. People won't go there if it is still a construction zone. We need to continue to make the most of our harbour and open up the waterfront for the people. That will draw people into have fun and spend their money.
What can be improved to make Auckland City a better, more vibrant place to work and visit?
Auckland is a vibrant place to work and visit – we need to make most of what we have. We can improve it by making it more accessible for people, by putting away the orange cones and making it easier to enjoy the harbour.
Craig Lord
Craig Lord mayoral candidate for Auckland City. Photo / Craig Lord
I think everyone needs to take a step back and look at what Covid has done - not just to the CBD but also the entire Auckland Region.
Of course there is something in particular that has happened to the CBD - people realise they can work from home or satellite offices.
Now this has created a special and unique set of issues, while at the same time it has given Auckland a wonderful benefit - a massive reduction in traffic to and from the CBD.
The businesses that rely on having people in the CBD are suffering. Simple cause and effect. This however produces the question: Should workers go back to the CBD just to keep that service industry going? (I'm calling retail and food/drink the service industry as a simplistic combined description).
Granted, working from home or satellite offices can severely impact certain aspects of business, such as the social needs, the immediate ability to ask colleagues questions, or physical document handling.
So, should we be thinking outside the box now? Does the Covid recovery also include a full rethink on how a CBD operates?
Is there actually a need for a central area packed full of corporations given so much is done digitally now?
Overheads for businesses could be dramatically reduced by having suburban offices and people working from home.
We could focus on it being a hub for events, arts, functions.
The social side of the CBD problem requires major input from Police and Government.
I would like to see a downtown CBD station opened again with the primary role being feet on the street - but that's a Government fix. I'll lobby for it.
Currently the CBD policing is done out of the new College Hill station but there are no boots on the ground anymore - it's callout by car only and as the Police are focusing on Family Harm callouts, the CBD is neglected.
The Government needs to take a bigger part in resolving the social services within the CBD - the current MP is simply talking about it, but not doing anything.
Outside of work reasons, people do not want to go to the CBD for any other reason but the bars, restaurants and nightclubs - and even that is changing.
Once upon a time it used to be a place for special shopping trips but now that so many areas have large shopping malls the public see no need to venture into the CBD.
It's awful to navigate, and not worth the time.
The designer brand stores are for tourists and a few rare locals.
The new downtown mall serves those who choose to live in the CBD, but really all of that area is designed for the tourism dollar.
Newmarket is a great example of how a large mall can kill off the smaller independent street shop.
Much of the Queen St changes to date have become a disaster for the shopping precinct, and many will eventually close and abandon the CBD.
If elected as Mayor my focus is to turn Auckland Council into an efficient, effective provider of core services for every part of the region, not just the CBD.
If Auckland Council works properly, then the city can too - including the CBD.
