It’s time for Auckland to fulfil its potential – Editorial

When Tāmaki Makaurau thrives, so does the country. Photo / Alex Burton

Aucklanders have always had a love-hate relationship with their city.

There are also many things we loathe. The traffic, a dilapidated Queen St, the harbour bridge on a windy day, or even just the seemingly constant rain.

But there are also many joys in this city we should not take for granted. A weekend market in Matakana, celebrating our culture with events such as the Diwali festival, a late summer’s afternoon at a Waiheke Island vineyard, spring at Cornwall Park, a night out at the Civic, fortress Eden Park, or walking along the black sand of our rugged west coast.

Of course, don’t forget the loyalty to our Warriors.

Yet, despite being a wonderful place for many to live and work, we all feel this city has so much more to give. We know it has so much more potential.

Wayne Brown was re-elected yesterday by the city’s residents and in his exclusive letter to Aucklanders on today’s front page says he will “finish the job”.

The job being fixing the many issues that have plagued Auckland’s progress to becoming one of the world’s great harbour cities.

The soon-to-be-opened International Convention Centre and the City Rail Link have the potential to transform the midtown of Auckland’s CBD. And there are many other smaller projects that are already under way.

Brown is right to say Auckland is New Zealand’s only international city and so we must start to act like it.

Aucklanders should not wait for the wonks in Wellington to make decisions for them.

Kiwis outside the Super City will always, jokingly or not, despise Jafas but they should also respect the economic powerhouse Tāmaki Makaurau is.

There are nearly two million of us that call this place home now. When Auckland thrives, so does the country.

It is encouraging to hear Brown’s ambition to drive this city’s economy forward, including leading trade delegations to China and India.

Auckland, after all, is Australasia’s largest council with a multibillion-dollar budget and billions more in assets.

Because of this, being mayor of this city is often mentioned by political pundits as the third most important political position in the country, behind only the Prime Minister and Finance Minister.

Brown has a big job over the next three years getting this town to where it belongs in the world.

It is time for Auckland to fulfil its potential.