Why a 30km/h speed limit makes sense for Auckland’s city centre

To make our roads safer, Auckland Transport wants to introduce a new bylaw to set new speed limits, which would see the city centre become a 30km/h zone. Jolisa Gracewood explains why she’s in favour of the proposed changes.  Nobody ever expects to be involved in a car crash. But accidents happen, and for most of … Read more

Connecting cities to their land through design

In the second episode of The Good Citizen, a new podcast of interviews with exciting and innovative New Zealanders, Jeremy Hansen talks to Henry Crothers about having the bravery to transform our urban landscapes. “We need to stop chickening out.” Landscape architect and urban designer Henry Crothers is playing a guiding role in the creation … Read more

Revenge of the NIMBYs: Is council too weak to enact its own Unitary Plan?

Auckland Council has nitpicked its way into rejecting two high-density apartment developments on public transport routes near the CBD. Hayden Donnell asks whether council’s consents department really believes in the vision of the Unitary Plan. The Unitary Plan was supposed to fix things. When it passed in 2016, huge swathes of Auckland were rezoned for … Read more

Does Auckland Council actually give a crap about the arts?

Auckland’s long battle with Wellington for the cultural capital crown will be lost once and for all if the council insists on leaving arts and culture out of its 10-year plan, argues the Basement Theatre’s Elise Sterback. In an effort to erase all memory of his predecessor, Auckland mayor Phil Goff is swapping out the … Read more

In the city at the edge of everything: we launch The Spinoff Auckland

The War for Auckland was the most exciting thing we’ve ever done, and we hated shutting it down. Now, with the support of Heart of the City, we’re launching a new full-time section dedicated to Auckland. Former Metro editor Simon Wilson, who has joined us as editor of The Spinoff Auckland, nails up his colours. … Read more

Business Is Boring #40: the Coulter sisters of Cocos Cantina on why owner-operator restaurants rule

Business is Boring is a weekly podcast series presented by The Spinoff in association with Callaghan Innovation. Host Simon Pound speaks with innovators and commentators focused on the future of New Zealand, with the interview available as both audio and a transcribed excerpt. Situated on Auckland’s Karangahape Road, Coco’s Cantina has become a favourite for … Read more

Auckland must embrace the exponential economy – or risk being left behind

Spark Ventures CEO Rod Snodgrass on what the ‘exponential economy’ might bring, and how Auckland might tap into it to accelerate its transformation. There’s plenty of noise going on about the future of Auckland, from familiar and unfamiliar voices. That’s no surprise – we all have a vested interest in inhabiting the world’s most liveable … Read more