Originally Posted by
Major von Tempsky
The claim that Auckland is the powerhouse of the N Z economy is a strange one.
Auckland is the main import port of NZ, Tauranga and the others are the main export ports. The export industries and ports are the powerhouse of the NZ economy.
Nearly all the new immigrants go to south Auckland, so do poor Maoris from the regions, and poor whites from the regions. The transfer payments, the social welfare payments to Auckland are stupendous. Is that a powerhouse?
Billions are being spent on Auckland motorways so cars can travel around and around Auckland and into Ponsonby for their favourite latte. Only the government has stopped (so far) more billions being spent on a metro so Aucklanders can catch it from the Britomart centre up to K road. Which much fewer than Len Brown hopes will actually do and it will be for consumption, retail, latte swilling rather than productive output. Yes, I know, I lived in Auckland for 16 years :-)