Ryan Bridge: The Government should go all in on Auckland

There’s a very good reason National’s talking about a revamping the major events fund - or as the PM said on Monday, stuffing the pipeline with more events. 

It’s the same reason you’re seeing them announce just half an hour ago they’re creating a new business investor visa - foreigners will get a fast-track to residency for chucking $2m into a Kiwi business. 

It’s the same reason they’ll announce in a few weeks that some wealthy investors will be able to buy expensive houses here.

From November, they're trialling visa-free holidays for the Chinese coming here via Australia. Expect to see more where this came from.

The reason is to boost growth, but specifically, they hope, in our largest city.

It’s all about Auckland. It’s the giant missing piece of the puzzle.

Their runway for sorting the economy by election time hinges on them throwing the kitchen sink at the Jaffas.

It’s 40% of our GDP but a sort of economic malaise has set in.

Not everywhere and not in every industry, but the two speed recovery is real, the vibe’s off, and the numbers back it up.

I asked the PM about this on Monday, he says they’re basically looking at everything and anything for Auckland. I reckon they'll campaign on a bed tax and announce they intend to that late this year or early next. 

To win the next election, you don’t need to win all of Auckland, but if you lose Auckland, you're stuffed.

Ask Chippy - Labour scored 29% of the party vote in Auckland. 

This is increasingly a city of migrants, and these policies are aimed at them, their families, and their businesses. 

42% of Aucklanders were born overseas.

Along with Otago, it's where most of the expensive houses are that wealthy investors will be able to buy.

To boost this economy in a short to medium term window the government’s clearly targeting migration, foreign investment (which often comes through existing connections to this city), foreign students, Chinese tourists, and big events.

The question is how quickly they can give this city the tickle up in needs and whether they’ve left enough runway to turn things around. 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
There is a very good reason that National is talking
about revamping the Major Events Fund. It's the same reason
you're seeing them announced just half an hour ago they're
creating a new business investor Visa. Foreigners will get a
fast track to residency for chucking two million bucks into
a Kiwi business. It's the same reason they'll announce in
a few weeks. I reckon most reckon that some wealthy

(00:20):
investors will be able to buy expensive houses here. From November.
They're trialing visa free holidays for the Chinese coming here
via Australia, and you can expect to see more where
that came from. The reason is, of course, to boost growth,
but specifically they hope in our largest city. It's all
about Auckland, the colon. It's the giant missing piece of

(00:40):
the puzzle, their runway for sorting out the economy by
election time. Hinges on them throwing the kitchen sink at
the Jaffers. It's forty percent of our GDP. But a
sort of economic malaise has set and not everyone, not
in every industry, but the two speed recovery is real.
The vibes off a bit and the numbers back it up.
The prime Minister about this on Monday. He says, they're

(01:02):
basically looking at everything and anything for Auckland, and I
reckon they'll campaign on a bed tax, and I reckon
they'll announce that they intend to do this either late
this year or early next to win the next election.
You don't need to win all of Auckland, but if
you lose Auckland, you're stuffed. Ask Chippy. Labour scored twenty
nine percent of the party vote in Auckland at the

(01:23):
twenty twenty three election. This is increasingly a city of
migrants and these policies are aimed at them, their families
and their businesses. Forty two percent of auckland Is were
born overseas along with Otago. It's where most of the
expensive houses are that those wealthy investors will be able
to buy to boost this economy in a short to
medium term window. The government's clearly targeting migration. Foreign investment,

(01:47):
which often comes through existing connections to a city. Foreign
students is another one. They're moving on, Chinese tourists and
big events. The question is how quickly can they give
this city the tickle up that it needs and have
they left enough of a runway to turn Things Around.
For more from Early Edition with Ryan Bridge, listen live

(02:09):
to News Talk Set B from five am weekdays, or
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