Joint media release from the Councils of North Shore, Waitakere, Auckland, Manukau, Rodney, Hamilton, Tauranga, Wellington, Hutt, Porirua, Christchurch and Dunedin. EMBARGOED UNTIL THE OFFICIAL RELEASE OF THE QUALITY OF LIFE REPORT, 1PM, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2007 QUALITY OF LIFE REPORT 2007: AUCKLAND CITY MEDIA RELEASE Auckland city offers a high quality of life and has strong population and economic growth – but also experiences pressure on infrastructure and housing, according to a national report out today. The 2007 Quality of Life report, released by the Metropolitan Sector Group today, provides a comprehensive assessment of the quality of life in 12 New Zealand cities, as part of a multi-council initiative. Mayor of Auckland city, Hon. John Banks, said the report highlighted the many positive features of life in Auckland city. “Auckland offers its residents a wealth of opportunities and residents clearly recognise this, with 91% of them rating their quality of life as good or extremely good. That’s a ringing endorsement for the city.” Auckland continued to experience strong population growth, recording a 10% increase between 2001 and 2006. The make-up of the city’s population was ethnically diverse and nearly two-thirds of Aucklanders felt positively about the impact of this increased cultural diversity. As well as strong population growth, the city also experienced economic growth, averaging 4.1% per year between 2001 and 2006. Mr Banks said the Auckland economy was thriving. “From 2001 to 2006, we had the highest number of new jobs and new businesses created of any city in New Zealand. Auckland is the country’s economic powerhouse and it’s good to see that this report demonstrates that the city’s economy is continuing to perform. “What’s more our residents are reaping the rewards of this economic growth. Median personal incomes in the city grew by 28.1%, and were among the highest in the country. And most residents – just over 77% – are happy with their work-life balance,” he said. “Our communities also have access to a multitude of cultural and recreational activities. Nearly 90% of Aucklanders say it’s easy to access a local park, while 75% rate the city as having a culturally rich and diverse arts scene. “There’s a lot to be proud of, but there are also challenges that Auckland – like other cities – need to work on. We’re actively working to address these issues in conjunction with our communities and central government,” Mr Banks said. 1 Two of the areas the report identified as challenges included low rates of home ownership and increased pressure on infrastructure. Only 38.4% of Auckland city private dwellings were owned by the people who live in them, and 37% were rented. Across the 12 cities, the figures were 48.9% and 30%. This reflected a significant increase in house prices since 2001, however over this time rents have become significantly more affordable relative to incomes in Auckland city. Environmental issues included concerns about air pollution (largely because of transport) and a significant increase in demand for energy throughout the greater Auckland region during the current decade. In cities outside the Auckland region, demand for energy had increased only slightly. The report also highlighted the transport challenges facing the Auckland region. Three quarters of Aucklanders said it was easy to access a public transport facility, such as a bus or train station, but only about 23% of residents used public transport more than twice a week. Almost half of Auckland households had two or more motor vehicles. The Quality of Life project started with six councils in 1999 and has since expanded to 12 territorial local authorities, including: Rodney; North Shore; Waitakere; Auckland; Manukau; Hamilton; Tauranga; Porirua; Hutt; Wellington; Christchurch; and Dunedin. The project aims to give decision-makers information to help them improve the quality of life in major New Zealand urban areas. Project sponsor Jim Harland said the report highlighted the need for action to plan for long-term growth, improve access to services and promote economic and environmental sustainability. For more information, please contact: John Banks, Mayor, Auckland City – Ph (09) 379-2020 Kirsty Jones, Auckland City Council communications manager – Ph (09) 307-7274 Jim Harland or Andrea Howard, Quality of Life Project Sponsor – Ph (03) 474-3851 2 .