Push for more innovative Auckland

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The Auckland Council is proposing to boost the city's economy by investing in "innovation infrastructure" and reinforcing the relationship between businesses and research institutes.

The Auckland Unleashed document lays out ideas on where city leaders might take the city and is part of the formulation of the council's 30-year plan, due to be finalised this year.

It sets the ambitious goal of increasing Auckland's gross domestic product by more than 5 per cent a year.

The document, released last Wednesday, suggests an "innovation-driven economy" to boost prosperity in a city where there is a shortage of businesses taking advantage of new ideas.

"Relative to other international cities, Auckland is a mid-to-low innovation performer on the world stage.

"Businesses generally have difficulty commercialising ideas and knowledge, and as a result are unable to properly capitalise on their creativity and inventiveness," it says.

According to the discussion document, Auckland businesses, like others around the country, do not invest enough in research and development.

To remedy this innovation deficit, it suggests the city should pour capital into "innovation infrastructure", such as a science and technology park.

Employers and Manufacturers Association chief executive Alasdair Thompson agreed a technology park would help to boost product and service innovation.

"Hamilton has developed this sort of thing and it works very well."

Planning for this infrastructure would be spearheaded by the council-controlled Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic Development body.

The paper said securing the city's energy supply and gaining high-speed broadband were also "key enablers of Auckland's economic future".

The council had previously indicated it would push to be one of the first parts of the country to get the Government's ultra-fast broadband.

The plan also stressed the need for stronger links between research institutes and businesses, so firms could take advantage of cutting-edge knowledge and expertise.

It proposed creating "an open-access knowledge bank" of research, development and science so all firms could reap the benefits of research.


But the deputy chairman of the council's economic forum, Cameron Brewer, said he was concerned that the document did not deal with the real issues of growing city businesses.

"It talks very highfalutin' and lofty language ... which sounds great and is hard to disagree with, but at the end of the day businesses just want to get the basics right around rates and the regulatory environment."

Auckland unleashed

Economic proposals include:

* Increase regional exports by up to 7.5pc.
* Increase annual GDP by up to 6.2pc.
* Boost Auckland's productivity by up to 5.5pc.
* Improve GDP per head ranking within the OECD by 20 places in 20 years (now 84th).