MYSTERIOUS: Auckland council - You Need To See This

Can a new government solve NZ’s local council crisis? Why a royal commission could help

There is a famous truism that “all politics is local” – meaning citizens and voters care most about the things that affect their daily lives.

The Conversation · Oct 28

Natural hazards don’t obey electoral cycles. The next government faces crucial choices

Every election seems to return to the same themes: the economy, health, housing and the cost of government. But one challenge cuts across these and will confront whichever government is elected.

The Conversation · Oct 18

Auckland now has a plan for congestion charging. But where are the extra buses?

For city commuters, the slow crawl through peak hour traffic each day is an annoyance as unavoidable as blustery spring weather.

The Conversation · Sep 1

Whose ‘identity’ are we preserving in Auckland’s special character housing areas?

A minor culture war has broken out over Auckland’s urban identity since Auckland Council responded to the government’s new housing rules: on one side, defenders of “special character” areas of historic housing; on the other, advocates for higher-density development with fewer constraints.

The Conversation · May 25, 2022