Insights
Hero to zero: Why Auckland’s no longer the world’s most liveable city
Serviceworks – July 8, 2022
It's a massive fall from grace for Auckland, a real hero-to-zero moment.
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Harnessing Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland’s potential
Serviceworks – May 24, 2022
At the Auckland’s Future Now 2022 event, Pam Ford, Dr Anna Bardsley, Paul Majurey, Mark Thomas and Izzy Fenwick discuss...
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What should Auckland’s next mayor do?
Serviceworks – March 23, 2022
In the past six years, Aucklanders’ trust in council and satisfaction with its performance has never been higher than 27...
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New Zealand’s being left behind
Serviceworks – December 16, 2021
While most New Zealand businesses are enjoying more relaxed red or orange trading conditions, the news is not so good...
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We won’t get a ‘freedom day’ from climate crisis without technology
Serviceworks – December 8, 2021
The Economist's 2021 finding that Auckland is the most liveable city in the world certainly surprised many of the people...
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Is Auckland really the most liveable city?
Serviceworks – October 8, 2021
The Economist's 2021 finding that Auckland is the most liveable city in the world certainly surprised many of the people...
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Three Waters waka can chart course out of rough waters
Serviceworks – October 8, 2021
The New Zealand government's Three Water's reform is in some trouble. Yet almost everyone agrees changes are needed to improve...
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Finishing Auckland and fixing New Zealand
Serviceworks – June 16, 2021
A big bang approach may yet be possible in reforming local councils nationwide – including the so-called super city of...
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Getting smarter about house building
Serviceworks – March 31, 2021
The Government has made three significant housing announcements in the last six months: its 2020 election housing policy programme, January's...
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Climate action speaks louder than words
Serviceworks – March 2, 2021
Mark Thomas attended a Climate Change Commission consultation session on its big recommendations for New Zealand.
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Situation Vacant: Super hero needed
Serviceworks – October 19, 2020
Just after the recent New Zealand election, the Newsroom published my article below drawing attention to the lack of focus...
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A history making referendum
Serviceworks – October 7, 2020
The New Zealand Herald has published my article this morning on the history New Zealanders may make at this year’s...
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Its budget reveals what a city values
Serviceworks – August 6, 2020
(The New Zealand Herald published my article about how a city can balance responding to Covid-19 challenges with innovative thinking,...
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The SGD’s can drive the Covid-19 recovery
Serviceworks – May 11, 2020
Because the nations of the world don’t just have the pandemic crisis to deal with. All countries already had other...
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Curing climate congestion
Serviceworks – December 23, 2019
Cities are both a great hope for greater progress on dealing with climate change and also a major contributor to...
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Cities can fix low voter turnout but not by themselves
Serviceworks – October 18, 2019
Auckland has a few crises it is dealing with at the moment: housing, transport, climate. Following the recent local government...
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What a time to be an urban crisis. But which one to deal with first?
Serviceworks – July 9, 2019
The Newsroom recently published my article on the “flood” of climate crisis calls breaking out in cities.
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Great cities and great ports can co-exist
Serviceworks – May 23, 2019
Plenty of cities around the word grapple with how to balance the impact of business and liveability within their urban...
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The space-race? So last century. Today’s technology race is in your own town
Serviceworks – December 27, 2018
As some countries continue the race to explore outer space, or to ‘wall-up’ the inner spaces they already number have,...
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Is your city doing enough?
Serviceworks – November 28, 2018
The international IT association ISACA asked me to comment on a survey they produced earlier this year on smart city...
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