The key to a Super City is making a successful start and building on it, says Sir Ron Carter.
The promise of Auckland is to become the most liveable city in the South Pacific, where career and lifestyle are in balance and where progress in both social and economic achievement is measured and shown to keep pace with our expectations.
We strive to become a city which values and
preserves its remarkable landscape and become globally recognised for sustaining this beauty. People will want to visit us.
The first challenge is in the hands of the electors. Can we choose representatives who will work for our society as a whole? With the exception of the mayor, each member is elected for council or local boards from local areas. They will need to fairly represent all of their constituents and to work as much in the best interest of Auckland as a whole. There is no doubt that the ability to work as team members will be equally as important as advocating a particular local view. Let us choose our representative wisely.
A healthy council will work with pace in the early months to move swiftly from its vision to the detail of Auckland's plan - the one plan for Auckland. Work on this plan is an early imperative and its ability to unite representatives across Auckland will be the measure of success. The challenge to get alignment of councillors is obvious.
The quality of analysis, the ability to rank competing projects and actions for their contribution to a clear vision and on cost and benefit, then the sequencing of projects in an equitable way will all feature in the building of the plan. There is a great wealth of knowledge and good will in our society. A successful council will seek opinions from those well qualified to comment as well as working with the new executive.
Many projects being canvassed today won't to be delivered within one or even two electoral cycles, so it is important that the council's agenda includes tasks that add value in the short term as well. Immediate actions with successful results will do much to secure public support and even align councillors and local boards - nothing succeeds like success.
There are few activities that ignite public participation like major events - sporting, business or cultural. Auckland must make the most of the Rugby World Cup, the Volvo Ocean Race and visits by world class entertainers. It must secure other events to capture public interest. Auckland must be a globally significant events city. The provision of an international scale exhibition and convention centre will bring to Auckland and New Zealand both tourists and investors.
Visitors want to see attractions but even more they like to gather where they can be entertained, where they can enjoy company, dine and relax in attractive surroundings. Auckland can develop its strategic places - on the coast, in the Waitakere Ranges. The prospect of a boulevard from the Port to Westhaven can become a drawcard.
Successful Auckland will contribute to successful New Zealand. Central government is by far the largest investor in Auckland - in education, health, housing, social welfare. Some elements of our transport systems are all from central government - spending five times the amount of our rates.
Co-operation between central and local government is a no-brainer.
We, in Auckland, can do much to improve the way government services are delivered, how they are targeted and what they cost. A successful Auckland works together with central government to the benefit of each.
How will we recognise success? By electing our mayor and councillors for a second term.
Sir Ron Carter founded engineering firm Beca. He is chairman of the Committee for Auckland and a director of Rugby New Zealand 2011.