Benchmarking Tāmaki Makaurau: Fostering global city liveability

Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland boasts an easy-going lifestyle, a highly regarded natural environment, and exceptional visitor experiences, outperforming its peer cities in many aspects.

However, a recent report titled The State of the City: Benchmarking Tāmaki Makaurau's International Performance 2023 has shed light on critical gaps in infrastructure planning, attracting investment and talent, productivity, and innovation, as well as safety and housing affordability, which are adversely impacting the city's liveability.

To improve Auckland's position and address the challenges, the report advocates focusing on the following areas:

• Consistent infrastructure investment and credible plans to service Auckland's growth are crucial, including reliable funding and long-term planning in coordination with the government.
• Collaboration is essential in developing a network of distinctive places, reinventing the city centre and other locations to be magnetic, innovative, and inclusive, offering opportunities for Māori and Pacific Peoples.
• Efforts are needed to attract more businesses, investment, and talent into Auckland's innovation economy. Strong outreach and visibility in international markets are essential to support high-value industries.

About the report

The State of the City report is part of a three-year study assessing Auckland's preparedness for the future of jobs, urban lifestyle, and climate change, focusing on five core pillars: opportunity and prosperity, innovation and knowledge, culture and experience, place and connectivity, and resilience and sustainability.

The report aims to strengthen consensus between government, the council, and Aucklanders on priorities and system-wide changes needed to enhance Auckland's contribution to the nation.

Commissioned by the Committee for Auckland in collaboration with Deloitte and Auckland Council's economic and cultural agency, Tātaki Auckland Unlimited, along with support from the New Zealand Government's Auckland Policy Office and Koi Tū: The Centre for Informed Futures at Auckland University, the comprehensive report by UK-based urban intelligence firm, The Business of Cities, will be an annual assessment benchmarking Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland's performance against other cities in Australia, Asia, the Middle East, Europe, and North America over the next three years.

The report serves as a valuable tool in understanding how Auckland compares to other global cities and identifies key areas for improvement to ensure its continued growth and success in the international arena.

Each quarter, we will update some of the key statistics from the annual State of the City benchmarking report to see how Tāmaki Makarau Auckland is tracking against its peers.
 

• The April 2024 update shows that Auckland University’s ranking and Auckland’s air quality have improved, but cost of living, prosperity and overall happiness cast a shadow.
  
• The November 2023 update shows that Auckland’s work-life balance, sustainable economy and student appeal have improved, but safety, innovation investment and traffic performance lag.

Deloitte is a proud co-sponsor of The State of the City: Benchmarking Tāmaki Makaurau's International Performance 2023