Insights

Building Better City Budgets
Cities

Building Better City Budgets

It can take months to prepare the classic Chinese dish the century egg, but the result is a rich, complex...
Read More
Making New Zealand’s cities smarter
Cities Technology

Making New Zealand’s cities smarter

This article originally appeared in the book "From Yesterday to Tomorrow: 60 years of Tech in New Zealand" which IT...
Read More
Covering off Auckland’s future needs
Cities

Covering off Auckland’s future needs

Covered stadiums such as Eden Park is proposing are uncommon internationally, although cities that Auckland looks to for inspiration such...
Read More
The Project Auckland Panel Discussion
Cities

The Project Auckland Panel Discussion

At the recent Project Auckland Launch, the NZ Herald’s Tim McCready led Heart of the City CEO Viv Beck, Auckland...
Read More
A new benchmarking plan for Auckland
Cities

A new benchmarking plan for Auckland

The Committee for Auckland, in partnership with Deloitte and Tātaki Auckland Unlimited, has announced a new annual State of the...
Read More
Auckland was struggling even before the historic flooding
Cities Politics

Auckland was struggling even before the historic flooding

Auckland’s historic floods add to the already too large to-do list facing the region which produces almost 40% of New...
Read More
COP-out
Sustainability Technology

COP-out

COP27 was billed as the “Implementation COP”. But at the very moment the climate arithmetic turned brutal, and technology’s role...
Read More
A future never to be seen
Local government

A future never to be seen

Former local politician Mark Thomas reviews the review of local government, and is not confident its broad wellbeing goals will...
Read More
The dire state of NZ local government
Cities Politics

The dire state of NZ local government

Parliamentary committee reviews have been ignored; the council elections changes little – the real chance to change our local government...
Read More
Hero to zero: Why Auckland’s no longer the world’s most liveable city
Cities

Hero to zero: Why Auckland’s no longer the world’s most liveable city

It's a massive fall from grace for Auckland, a real hero-to-zero moment.
Read More
Harnessing Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland’s potential
Cities

Harnessing Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland’s potential

At the Auckland’s Future Now 2022 event, Pam Ford, Dr Anna Bardsley, Paul Majurey, Mark Thomas and Izzy Fenwick discuss...
Read More
What should Auckland’s next mayor do?
Cities

What should Auckland’s next mayor do?

In the past six years, Aucklanders’ trust in council and satisfaction with its performance has never been higher than 27...
Read More
New Zealand’s being left behind
Trade

New Zealand’s being left behind

While most New Zealand businesses are enjoying more relaxed red or orange trading conditions, the news is not so good...
Read More
We won’t get a ‘freedom day’ from climate crisis without technology
Climate Technology

We won’t get a ‘freedom day’ from climate crisis without technology

The Economist's 2021 finding that Auckland is the most liveable city in the world certainly surprised many of the people...
Read More
Is Auckland really the most liveable city?
Cities

Is Auckland really the most liveable city?

The Economist's 2021 finding that Auckland is the most liveable city in the world certainly surprised many of the people...
Read More
Three Waters waka can chart course out of rough waters
Cities

Three Waters waka can chart course out of rough waters

The New Zealand government's Three Water's reform is in some trouble. Yet almost everyone agrees changes are needed to improve...
Read More
Finishing Auckland and fixing New Zealand
Cities

Finishing Auckland and fixing New Zealand

A big bang approach may yet be possible in reforming local councils nationwide – including the so-called super city of...
Read More
Getting smarter about house building
Housing Technology

Getting smarter about house building

The Government has made three significant housing announcements in the last six months: its 2020 election housing policy programme, January's...
Read More
Climate action speaks louder than words
Cities Climate Transport

Climate action speaks louder than words

Mark Thomas attended a Climate Change Commission consultation session on its big recommendations for New Zealand.
Read More
Situation Vacant: Super hero needed
Cities Local government

Situation Vacant: Super hero needed

Just after the recent New Zealand election, the Newsroom published my article below drawing attention to the lack of focus...
Read More