Auckland now fifth-largest city in Australasia

12.15 pm

Auckland is now the fifth-largest city in Australasia, overtaking Adelaide in the latest analysis of figures released by Statistics New Zealand and the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

The figures confirm that Auckland's population reached 1.106 million at June 2000, compared with 1.096 million for Adelaide.

That puts Auckland in fifth place in the largest-city stakes, behind Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth.

And New Zealand's largest city will continue to grow, as it adds 15,500 people per year (or 1.4 per cent) to its population.

The figures were published today in a new book: 'The Big Shift: Welcome to the Third Australian Culture', by Bernard Salt, an expert in demographic trends.

In the book Mr Salt also noted a "fundamental demographic and cultural shift" towards towns and cities that offer lifestyle as well as employment.

He said the fastest growing towns in New Zealand were reflective of a 21st century preference for lifestyle.

"Leading the charge for lifestyle in New Zealand are the cities of Tauranga up 2.1 per cent in the year to June 2000 followed by Kapiti up 1.9 per cent. Even Taupo, up 1.5 per cent, offers a unique water-based lifestyle."

However, the figures revealed greater Auckland was the fastest growing area of the country.

Manukau topped the list, with a population increase of 4,800 or 1.7 per cent in the 12 months to June 2000.

Second-placed was central Auckland up 4,300 new residents or 1.1 per cent. And third placed was Waitakere up 3,500 or 2.1 per cent.

Mr Salt said the top three growth areas reflected the attraction of Auckland and the two focuses of the city's expansion: suburbia and downtown.

In the South Island, the leading growth areas were towns near Christchurch, Selwyn up 900 residents or 3.3 per cent, and Waimakariri up 900 residents or 2.5 per cent.

But the good news for Christchurch may be bad news for Wellington. If current rates of growth continue the capital will be smaller than the South Island's biggest city by late 2005.