Summer polls: Aucklanders' views on next best city to live in

Lisa Ottaway says there is more to her hometown than bad weather. Picture / Dean Purcell

Having lived in Auckland for the past five years, Wellingtonian Lisa Ottaway knows just what Aucklanders think of her hometown.

"Quite a few people unfortunately make a snap opinion; I think to really know Wellington you can't just go there on a two-day weekend and go, 'Oh, not really for me'.

"There's a lot more to the city than the bad weather."

It's a fact acknowledged by her best friend Angela Moran, an Aucklander born and bred.

"I love the city apart from the weather. It's so compact, and it just seems so much friendlier."

But for Ms Moran the weather rules out any permanent move to Wellington. Her situation epitomises the love-hate relationship Aucklanders have with the capital.

A Herald-DigiPoll survey of 220 Auckland residents found that if they could not stay where they were, most would prefer to move to Christchurch, with Wellington a close second (for full results, click on the 'More Pictures' link above).

But Wellington was also voted the city they would least want to move to - ahead of Invercargill by just one percentage point.

Ms Ottaway, a recruitment officer, made the move north as a 19-year-old when her parents packed up for Australia. She had no desire to cross the Tasman with them, but still yearned for a change.

"Wellington is a very small place and it can get a bit claustrophobic. I couldn't imagine anything more different than Auckland.

"I like the anonymity of Auckland. I like that there's so much to do ... and so many people to meet.

"It's an exciting city to live in - there's always things going on.

"Not a lot of concerts and big events go to Wellington, simply because we don't have the facilities."

Ms Ottaway is happy in Auckland, but sees herself returning to Wellington to raise a family.

Auckland Regional Council chairman Mike Lee grew up in Wellington and knows the relationship Aucklanders have with the capital.

"My father was a dyed-in-the-wool Wellingtonian, and my mum was a proud Aucklander. She was an Aucklander in exile, and she had the rose-tinted, nostalgic view of Auckland.

"She really brought me up with this attitude to Auckland, and I adopted it, and moved ... as soon as I could."

He moved here at 21, and loved it from the moment he arrived.

"I still think my mother is right: Auckland is better."

Mr Lee does not have positive childhood memories of Wellington.

"Wellington was a dull place with hopeless weather when I grew up. Wellington's weather seemed particularly bad in the 60s; you had southerly gales on a Christmas day, which was unacceptable, I thought."

An erosion in the quality of life due to Auckland's rapid growth may partly explain Wellington's appeal. But Aucklanders traditionally looked down upon Wellington, Mr Lee said.

"But the modern Aucklander is looking for quality of life, and perhaps sees a growing quality of life in Wellington.

"Wellington is really the nearest thing we have to a European city. Weather still isn't great, but of course, as they say, you can't beat it on a good day."

Wellington City Mayor Kerry Prendergast points out that the capital enjoys more sunshine and less rain than Auckland, but concedes it does get more wind.

"I can understand and empathise with the 16 per cent of Aucklanders who definitely want to come here - and as for the 17 per cent who don't, it can only be jealousy.

"They have yet to sample and enjoy the delights of a city where you can walk to everything you need to get to, and where people are friendlier, the weather's better and we've got this phenomenal harbour surrounded by stunning hills."

Mayor Prendergast pointed out that a poll of visitors to Wellington during the Lions rugby tour found 87 per cent would return.

"They've clearly got it right."