Category: housing

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A new approach to city-fringe living quietly unfolds amid Grey Lynn villas

Source: Auckland Council

Cohaus, a 20-unit resident-led development on Surrey Crescent, shows what happens when architecture, community, and sustainability come together.

Grey Lynn is no stranger to tension between its historic villas and demand for new housing. Yet Cohaus has proven that intensification can be beautiful, respectful, and enriching. Its’ understated street presence conceals an inner world of courtyards, communal gardens, and light-filled apartments. The original villa on the site was retained and refurbished, anchoring the development in heritage while welcoming new life.

Architect and co-founder Thom Gill says this development is exactly what Auckland needs.

“Density doesn’t need to mean compromise. With the right design, we can add homes without losing the character people cherish. Cohaus proves that medium-density housing can lift a neighbourhood.”

Cohaus community designed housing development.

Auckland Council’s Team Leader Urban Design and Landscape Strategy Nicole Miller says, despite its consenting challenges at the time, Cohaus was designed in a way that reflects many of the qualities the council wants to see in medium density development into the future.

“While this project was developed within a co-housing framework, the outcomes, spatial qualities and benefits of living closer together with shared amenities aren’t limited to this model of development – it’s an approach to living that can be applied to many scenarios.”

Inside Cohaus, there’s a richness of life that goes beyond walls and floorplans. Families with toddlers share space with retirees. A communal laundry, guest flat, bike storage, and shared cars reduce costs while lowering environmental footprints. Gardens spill across the central courtyard, where neighbours swap vegetables as easily as stories. This mixed generation living keeps people close to schools, jobs, and transport, while also easing social isolation, a quiet benefit as Auckland ages.

Georgianne Griffiths and her family are residents of the complex, and she says living at Cohaus has exceeded her expectations.

“It’s a beautiful space and there is a real sense of community.

“One of the design elements that has worked well is to restrict parking of our six shared cars to the edge of the development. Without driveways and carparks at our front doors we can maximise our garden space, which has become the centre of our community, and create a place where kids of all ages can run free.”

During the build phase, by sharing resources and cutting out developer profit margins, residents could create high-quality homes for less. Each member had a hand in shaping the design, meaning spaces feel liveable and intuitive.

As Gill puts it, “This is about the future of how we live together. Not gated suburbs, not anonymous towers, but neighbourhoods where people know each other.”

For residents anxious about change, Cohaus is reassurance made real. It demonstrates that medium-density housing can sit comfortably in a historic suburb, enhance its character, and create a community that feels both modern and timeless. This is the kind of development that makes cities greener, more liveable, and more connected – exactly what Auckland needs now.

Read more about the design of the Cohaus development on the Auckland Design Manual.

MIL OSI

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/03/21/a-new-approach-to-city-fringe-living-quietly-unfolds-amid-grey-lynn-villas/

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What Auckland’s new plan means for your neighbourhood

Source: Auckland Council

 

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Auckland Council is making changes to the Auckland Unitary Plan – the city’s rulebook for where and how new homes and buildings can be built.

These changes will see stronger protections against floods and other natural hazards and focus new homes in safer, well-connected places near shops, services, jobs and fast, frequent public transport.

Why are these changes happening?

The 2023 Auckland floods were a turning point for our region. As one of our most significant natural disasters, they devastated communities, caused billions in damage, and, most tragically, cost lives.  

At the time, Auckland Council was part way through Plan Change 78, which intended to introduce rules set by the previous government to boost housing supply by allowing three homes of three storeys in most residential areas across Auckland.

However, the severe weather of 2023 made it clear that some areas are not suitable for new homes and that Auckland needed even stronger rules to better protect people in the most vulnerable areas. While Plan Change 78 proposed more housing by allowing three storey housing in most residential areas across Auckland, the legislation didn’t let the council limit building in high-risk flood areas. 

What’s new

Following persistent advocacy from the council, in August 2025, the Government changed the law so the council could replace Plan Change 78 with a new version — Plan Change 120.

The proposed plan will introduce stronger rules to better protect communities from floods, coastal erosion and inundation. It will also enable more homes near rapid transit public transport stations, along frequent transport routes and around urban centres nearer to jobs, shops, and everyday services.

The changes propose to:

  • Introduce tougher consenting rules in flood risk areas to make new homes more resilient, and apply single house zoning in the most at-risk areas.
  • Focus new homes within walking distance to the city centre, urban centres, transport stops with fast and frequent services such as train stations and the Northern and Eastern Busways.
  • Remove the medium density residential standards and amend the standards for three-storey housing in the zone that allows for such housing in Auckland.
  • Meet Government requirements to provide an opportunity for the same total housing capacity as Plan Change 78.
  • Meet government directions, including increased building heights around five key Western Line stations: 15 storeys at Maungawhau, Kingsland and Morningside; and 10 storeys at Baldwin Avenue and Mt Albert stations, as well as identifying other areas where taller buildings could be enabled under this plan.
  • Allow more apartment buildings along a number of Auckland’s transport corridors with frequent bus services. Up to 6 storeys, around 200m back from the road. 

Read: What You Need to Know – Proposed Changes to Auckland’s Planning Rules

What does this mean for my local area? 

Over the next 30 years, Auckland could see more housing choices, such as apartments, terraced housing, and townhouses, near rapid and frequent transport routes, workplaces and urban centres.

This plan change allows higher density housing, but property owners and developers influence what actually happens based on market demand. Even in areas allowing apartments, there will still be a mix of housing types, due to the different choices landowners might make

This doesn’t mean local areas will change overnight. Development usually happens gradually, typically over decades. There can be limits to building heights and density where it may not be suitable and where it’s supported by good evidence, for example, to protect sites with coastal character.

Protecting against natural hazards  

In high-risk flood or coastal areas, there will be tougher rules for new development. This will give the council stronger powers to decide whether development can go ahead and how much is appropriate.

This includes some parts of Eastern Beach, East Tāmaki, Manurewa, Māngere Bridge, Mt Roskill, Blockhouse Bay, Te Atatū Peninsula, Glen Eden, Browns Bay, and other suburbs.

More homes focused near urban centres and rapid public transport  

Auckland’s largest centres could see more homes enabled within a 10-minute walk (about 800 metres) of Newmarket, Manukau, New Lynn, Sylvia Park, Botany, Papakura, Takapuna, Henderson, Albany, Westgate, and Drury. 

This walking distance will also apply around train stations and stops along the Northern and Eastern Busways. It means opportunities for terraced housing or apartment buildings of 15, 10, or 6 storeys – with the building heights reflecting the demand for homes in the area, level of services and amenities available, and how easy access is to transport, jobs and services. 

Other suburban centres could have more townhouses, apartments, and terraced housing of up to six storeys. This includes within around 400 metres of town centres like St Lukes, Northcote, and Onehunga, while a 200m distance is set for smaller local centres like Blockhouse Bay, Grey Lynn and Mairangi Bay.

This is based on how big each suburban centre is and how easy it is for people to get there by walking, cycling, or public transport, making it simpler for people to live nearby and travel to schools, parks, and workplaces.

For suburbs that are not inside walkable catchments, or town centre areas, there will be more Mixed Housing Suburban (allowing homes in a mix of 1- and 2-storey forms) and Mixed Housing Urban (allowing homes up to 3-storeys, including townhouses and terraced homes). The Single House zone will still be used where it makes sense.

Supporting transport and infrastructure

By focusing new homes near trains, busways and frequent bus routes, Plan Change 120 helps make better use of major public investments, such as the $5.5 billion City Rail Link.

It also helps infrastructure providers to plan and fund future infrastructure more efficiently by giving a clearer picture of where growth will happen.

Local area breakdown

Below you’ll find a breakdown of which areas are rezoned for Terraced Housing and Apartment Buildings across Auckland, so you can see what’s being upzoned in your local area. 

Note: Some places will be in two or more overlapping areas – for instance, the area around a town centre might also be in the walkable catchment for a transport link. When this happens, the higher density and heights will apply.

For example, if some streets are identified for both 6-storey housing around a town centre, and 10-storey housing as part of train station walkable catchment, the 10-storey height will apply.

On the other hand, where properties are close to a town centre or transport link, but are also subject to “qualifying matters” (for example, Special Character Areas, natural hazards, infrastructure constraints, or open space), the “qualifying matter” will still apply, and can limit the density and height allowed.

Central  

Waitematā 

  • Walkable catchments (buildings up to 15 storeys): Karanga-a-Hape*, Te Waihorotiu*, Waitematā*, Grafton, Parnell train stations (about 800 metres), Newmarket Metropolitan Centre.
  • Town Centres (buildings up to 6 storeys / about 400 metres): Newton – Upper Symonds, Parnell, Ponsonby. 
  • Local Centres (buildings up to 6 storeys / about 200 metres): Grey Lynn, Jervois Rd. 
  • Transport corridors (buildings up to 6 storeys / about 200 metres either side): Great North Rd (Ponsonby–MOTAT), St Marys Bay–Ponsonby routes. 

Note: the City Centre zone itself is not open for submissions, and it was addressed through an earlier plan change in May 2025.

Albert-Eden 

  • Walkable catchments (buildings up to 15 storeys / about 800 metres): Maungawhau**, Kingsland**, Morningside** train stations – these heights were required in legislation passed in August 2025.
  • Walkable catchments (buildings up to 10 storeys / about 800 metres): Mt Albert**, Baldwin Ave** train stations – these heights were required in legislation passed in August 2025.
  • Town Centres (buildings up to 6 storeys / about 400 metres): Mt Albert, Pt Chevalier, Three Kings, St Lukes, Stoddard Rd. 
  • Local Centres (buildings up to 6 storeys / about 200 metres): Balmoral, Eden Valley. 
  • Transport corridors (buildings up to 6 storeys / about 200 metres either side): Dominion Rd (Mt Eden–Mt Roskill), Sandringham Rd, Mt Eden–Sandringham (via Valley Rd), New North Rd (Morningside–Avondale).

Puketapapa 

  • Town Centres / about 400 metres: Three Kings, Stoddard Road.
  • Local Centres / about 200 metres: Mt Roskill, Lynnfield. 
  • Transport corridors (buildings up to 6 storeys / about 200 metres either side): overlaps on Dominion Rd & Mt Eden Rd. 

Maungakiekie-Tamaki 

  • Walkable catchments (buildings up to 15 storeys / about 800 metres): Panmure, Glen Innes train stations.
  • Walkable catchments (buildings up to 10 storeys / about 800 metres):  Penrose, Sylvia Park Metropolitan Centre, Sylvia Park train station.
  • Town Centres (buildings up to 6 storeys/ about 400 metres): Panmure, Glen Innes, Onehunga, Royal Oak 
  • Local Centres (buildings up to 6 storeys / about 200 metres): Mt Wellington. 
  • Transport corridors (buildings up to 6 storeys / about 200 metres either side): Panmure–Ellerslie, Panmure–Mt Wellington–Sylvia Park, Greenlane–Western Springs (via Balmoral). 
North 

Upper Harbour  

  • Walkable catchment (buildings up to 15 storeys / about 800 metres): Albany Bus Station
  • Walkable catchments (buildings up to 10 storeys / about 800 metres): Albany Metropolitan Centre, Constellation Bus Station.
  • Walkable catchment (buildings up to 6 storeys / about 800 metres): Rosedale Bus Station.
  • Local Centres (buildings up to 6 storeys / about 200 metres): Hobsonville, Albany Village.

Kaipātiki 

  • Town Centres (buildings up to 6 storeys / about 400 metres): Birkenhead, Glenfield, Northcote. 
  • Local Centre (buildings up to 6 storeys / about 200 metres): Chatswood. 
  • Transport corridors (buildings up to 6 storeys / about 200 metres either side) along Glenfield–Birkenhead, Verrans Corner–Onewa Rd routes.

Hibiscus and Bays  

  • Town Centre (buildings up to 6 storeys / about 400 metres): Browns Bay. 
  • Local Centre (buildings up to 6 storeys / about 200 metres): Mairangi Bay.

Devonport Takapuna  

  • Walkable catchment (buildings up to 15 storeys / about 800 metres): Takapuna Metropolitan Centre.
  • Walkable catchments (buildings up to 10 storeys / about 800 metres): Smales Farm, Sunnynook, Akoranga busway stops.
  • Town Centres (buildings up to 6 storeys / about 400 metres): Devonport, Milford, Sunnynook. 
  • Transport corridors (buildings up to 6 storeys / about 200 metres either side): along Smales Farm–Takapuna–Milford, Northcote–Takapuna.

Rodney

  • In line with changes across most of the urban areas of Auckland, Warkworth will see more 2- and 3-storey townhouses and terraces allowed, and less Single House zoning.
  • There are no walkable catchments for town centres or transport links in Rodney under PC120. 
West 

Henderson-Massey 

  • Walkable catchments (buildings up to 15 storeys / about 800 metres): Henderson Metropolitan Centre, Henderson Train Station. 
  • Walkable catchment (buildings up to 10 storeys / about 800 metres): Westgate Metropolitan Centre. 
  • Walkable catchments (buildings up to 6 storeys / about 800 metres): Sunnyvale, Sturges Rd, Ranui train stations.
  • Town Centre (buildings up to 6 storeys / about 400 metres): Te Atatū North. 
  • Local Centre (buildings up to 6 storeys / about 200 metres): Te Atatū South. 
  • Transport corridor (buildings up to 6 storeys / about 200 metres either side): New Lynn–Henderson (shared).

Waitākere Ranges 

  • Town Centre (buildings up to 6 storeys / about 400 metres): Glen Eden.

Whau 

  • Walkable catchments (buildings up to 10 storeys / about 800 metres): New Lynn Metropolitan Centre, New Lynn Train Station, Avondale Train Station.
  • Walkable catchment (buildings up to 6 storeys / about 800 metres): Fruitvale Rd train station. 
  • Town Centres (buildings up to 6 storeys / about 400 metres): Avondale, New Lynn. 
  • Local Centres (buildings up to 6 storeys / about 200 metres): Blockhouse Bay, Kelston. 
  • Transport corridors (buildings up to 6 storeys / about 200 metres either side): Great North Rd (Pt Chev–Avondale–New Lynn), New Lynn–Henderson (shared) routes.
East 

Ōrākei

  • Walkable catchments (buildings up to 15 storeys / about 800 metres): Remuera, Greenlane train stations.
  • Walkable catchments (buildings up to 10 storeys / about 800 metres):  Ellerslie, Ōrākei, Meadowbank train stations.
  • Town Centres (buildings up to 6 storeys / about 400 metres): Greenlane, Remuera. 
  • Local Centres (buildings up to 6 storeys / about 200 metres): Greenlane West, Kepa Rd/Eastridge, Meadowbank. 
  • Transport corridors (buildings up to 6 storeys / about 200 metres either side): Manukau Rd (Onehunga–Newmarket, shared), Greenlane East, St Johns–Remuera–Newmarket. 

Howick 

  • Walkable catchments (buildings up to 10 storeys / about 800 metres):  Pakuranga Bus Station, Te Taha Wai (Edgewater), Williams Ave. 
  • Walkable catchments (buildings up to 6 storeys / about 800 metres): Botany Metropolitan Centre, Koata (Gossamer Drive), Pohatu (Burswood). 
  • Town Centres (buildings up to 6 storeys / about 400 metres): Highland Park, Howick, Pakuranga. 
  • Local Centres (buildings up to 6 storeys / about 200 metres): Botany Junction, Meadowlands. 
  • Transport corridors (buildings up to 6 storeys / about 200 metres either side): Howick–Botany (via Meadowlands), Botany–Manukau (via Ormiston). 
South  

Māngere-Otahuhu 

  • Town Centres (buildings up to 6 storeys / about 400 metres): Māngere. 
  • Local Centres (buildings up to 6 storeys / about 200 metres): Māngere East. 
  • Transport corridors (buildings up to 6 storeys / about 200 metres either side): Papatoetoe–Ōtāhuhu–Sylvia Park. 

Ōtara-Papatoetoe 

  • Walkable catchments (buildings up to 15 storeys / about 800 metres): Manukau Metropolitan Centre, and the Manukau, Ōtāhuhu train stations. 
  • Walkable catchments (buildings up to 10 storeys / about 800 metres):  Papatoetoe, Puhinui train stations.
  • Walkable catchments (buildings up to 6 storeys / about 800 metres): Middlemore train station.
  • Town Centres ((buildings up to 6 storeys / about 400 metres): Hunters Corner, Ōtāhuhu, Ōtara, Papatoetoe. 
  • Local Centres (buildings up to 6 storeys / about 200 metres): Dawsons Rd, Clendon. 
  • Transport corridors (buildings up to 6 storeys / about 200 metres either side): Papatoetoe–Ōtāhuhu–Sylvia Park. 

Manurewa 

  • Walkable catchments (buildings up to 6 storeys): Manurewa, Homai train stations
  • Town Centres (buildings up to 6 storeys): Manurewa. 

Papakura 

  • Walkable catchments (buildings up to 6 storeys / about 800 metres): Takaanini, Te Mahia, Papakura Metropolitan Centre, Papakura Train Station. 

Franklin  

  • Walkable catchments (buildings up to 6 storeys / about 800 metres): Drury Metropolitan Centre, and the Drury, Ngākōroa, Paerata, and Pukekohe train stations.

Hauraki Gulf islands  

  • Waiheke, Aotea/Great Barrier and other Hauraki Gulf islands are covered by the Hauraki Gulf Islands District Plan. This plan is separate from the Auckland Unitary Plan, and as such, PC120 does not change it. 

Time to have your say

Stronger hazard rules apply from Monday 3 November 2025, when Plan Change 120 is notified. However, they are subject to change following the public submission process.

You can have your say on these measures, and all proposals under Plan Change 120.  

Visit the AKHaveYourSay website until 19 December 2025 to learn more.  

MIL OSI

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/03/21/what-aucklands-new-plan-means-for-your-neighbourhood/

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Get the facts on Auckland’s future housing plan

Source: Auckland Council

Auckland’s Future Housing Plan – Proposed Plan Change 120 – makes important changes to Auckland’s planning rules, and there is discussion happening in communities across the city. 

The plan change strengthens the rules for building new homes in places at risk of flooding and other natural hazards while also meeting central government direction on housing capacity.   

It aims to better protect people and property, while enabling more new homes in well-connected areas near jobs, shops, services and fast, frequent public transport.

But some of the things being shared aren’t accurate, from forcing homeowners and tenants to relocate, new homes being built immediately to comparing Auckland to different situations in different cities.

Here are some quick questions and answers to help you understand what Proposed Plan Change 120 does – and what it doesn’t do.

Question: Does Plan Change 120 make people leave their homes?

Answer: No, it has nothing to do with relocating or moving people out of their homes. Plan Change 120 does not require anyone to leave their home or relocate – that is not how planning rules work. 

Instead, it strengthens rules for building in areas with known hazard risks, like flooding, so future buildings are more resilient or reduced in the most vulnerable areas, meaning people living in these areas are better protected. Existing homes remain and development will still happen but with tougher rules.

Question: Will the whole city be “blanketed” by higher-density homes indiscriminately?

Answer: No, taller buildings are only proposed in certain areas, mostly enabled near train stations, rapid busways (like the Northern Busway), frequent bus routes, and town centres where jobs, shops and services already exist.

These are locations where research shows public transport access and housing demand are strongest, and which help to support higher productivity across Auckland. 

Not every property will be developed that way. What gets built depends on what the market determines, property owner choices, and what can feasibly be built, not just planning rules. Development usually happens gradually, typically over many years and even in areas allowing taller buildings, there will still be a mix of housing types. 

Question: Has Plan Change 120 changed the floodplains? 

Answer: Auckland Council has continuously published information it has on flooding and other natural hazards – Plan Change 120 only introduces updated rules in the Auckland Unitary Plan that manage development in these areas.

Information on natural hazards change over time. This is due to changes in modelling inputs and assumptions, understanding of climate change and improved technology. In recent years new modelling has been undertaken to consistently reflect latest climate change information across the region.

The newer modelling has also been able show a greater level of detail about potential flooding risk than previously understood – for example, anticipated depths and velocities of floodwaters.

Question: Are homes being put into flood plains? 

Answer: Plan Change 120 allows residential development in flood plains in existing developed areas where the hazard is low, medium or high, as long as the risk can be maintained at or reduced to a tolerable level, for example through the provision of a safe evacuation route and a floor above the flood level.

Any new development will need to go through the resource consent process to determine its appropriateness against the relevant policy settings.

For sites that are constrained by very high flood hazard flooding, the zoning has changed to limit development to the Residential – Single House zone.

For all other sites, in some cases the zoning has changed to allow for additional intensification opportunities. However, the level of development that is suitable on those sites will be dependent on a site-specific assessment and the hazard conditions on site.

Question: Didn’t Christchurch push back on intensification, so Auckland should too?

Answer: No, Christchurch made significant changes to its planning rules to meet government’s intensification requirements.  

Christchurch only withdrew from some parts of the government’s housing intensification requirements because it could prove that its updated planning rules enabled enough housing capacity to meet what the legislation required – 30 years of capacity that has been shown to be commercially feasible to build. This is the legal test that applies to Christchurch. 

Auckland’s housing capacity requirement is completely different. The legal test for Auckland is that the new Plan Change 120 must enable at least the same amount of housing as the withdrawn Plan Change 78 (the previous plan change required by central government) would have enabled. 

Christchurch and Auckland are very different cities with different growth-related challenges, different legislation and their legal housing capacity requirements are not calculated in the same way.

Question: Isn’t housing capacity just a target and does leads to more choice?

Answer: No, housing capacity is not a building target, but it does provide more housing choices over time. Housing capacity required by Plan Change 120 is the theoretical number of homes that could be built if every suitable site across Auckland was fully developed to the maximum the rules allowed.

In reality, far fewer homes are built, even over many decades, and not every site will be developed. Plan Change 120 allows for the same housing capacity as the previous planning rules from central government called Plan Change 78. Capacity is not a construction target. Taking-up opportunities for development depends entirely on property owners and developers.

Capacity is set deliberately high, so developers and property owners have more choices in different locations and for different housing types. This flexibility helps to respond to changing market demands and helps improve affordability over the long term, which is supported by economic data and analysis. 

Question: Will I be forced to sell or develop my property?

Answer: No, nothing forces you to sell or develop. Property owners can continue to live in, sell, maintain, improve or redevelop their home as the planning rules allow, what happens with their property is entirely up to them. 

Plan Change 120 sets tougher standards for the future development of new homes or buildings, so they are more resilient, or to limit how much new housing can be built in areas most at risk from hazards like flooding to help reduce future risks to people and property.

There is no requirement to develop. It is entirely up to owners whether they want to sell, develop, or do nothing at all.

Question: Will my suburb change overnight with new buildings appearing?

Answer: No, Plan Change 120 doesn’t trigger immediate development. Planning rules only set out what’s allowed to be built, they do not require that homes get built or that development happens. Plan Change 120 simply enables where different types of housing could go in future. Not every property would be suitable for taller buildings. What actually gets built depends on property owners, what is determined by the market and other rules such as resource consents. 

Homes cannot be built at that speed anyway. When development does occur, it happens gradually, even over decades, and varies widely across neighbourhoods.

Question:  Won’t housing in expensive places still be unaffordable?

Answer: Allowing for more housing density can help make homes more affordable over time. For most homes, land is the biggest cost. Allowing more homes on one property spreads that cost, so each home can be more affordable than a single house on a full section. 

Areas near jobs, shops and transport are in high demand, which pushes up land values, so more homes in these areas provide more housing choices.

While homes won’t suddenly be “cheap,” more choices — like townhouses and apartments — give people more choice at different price points and creates competition in the market, helping ease price pressure over time.

What does Proposed Plan Change 120 do?

Here’s the simple version, plan change 120 proposes to:

  • Strengthen rules for building new homes in areas at risk from flooding and other hazards, with the worst-affected areas mainly limited to single houses.
  • Enable more homes within walking distances of the city centre, other town centres, train stations, stops on the northern and eastern busways and along some frequent bus routes.
  •  Meet central government direction for significantly more housing capacity and taller buildings around key train stations to support investment in the City Rail Link.

This could mean:

  • Better protection for people and property by strengthening the rules we already have, reducing exposure to hazards that are becoming more common with climate change.
  • More new homes where it makes more sense, in well-connected places close to jobs, shops, and fast, frequent public transport – where demand for housing and transport access is strongest.
  • More housing choices in more locations with easier access to everyday services and facilities.
  • More transport choice, less congestion, and better access to game-changing infrastructure that all Aucklanders have paid for – helping to get the best return on billons of public investment.

MIL OSI

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/03/21/get-the-facts-on-aucklands-future-housing-plan/

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Hobsonville Point – first decade of a housing masterclass

Source: Auckland Council

Hobsonville Point has evolved into a living example of smart housing in a growing city.

The harbourside suburb in west Auckland has shown how walkable, well-designed, mixed density housing can build a strong sense of community.

Like Northcote ( and many other emerging suburbs offering medium density housing options built close to transport hubs, town centres, schools and community facilities) Hobsonville Point is a housing blueprint envisioned and enabled by the Auckland Unitary Plan.

Hobsonville Point, now a flourishing residential suburb, has grown up from land once used as an airforce base. When the land became available, it was essentially a blank slate for new housing and presented an opportunity to do things smarter and more sustainably.

The Auckland Council group worked closely with the Hobsonville Land Company (a subsidiary of Housing New Zealand established to lead the development, and now part of Kāinga Ora – Homes and Communities) and private sector partners to deliver a new kind of neighbourhood for Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland.

Ten years later, Hobsonville Point is a model of effective master-planning and the delivery of mixed density housing at scale. It is a model for the future.

Hobsonville Point resident and business owner Mike (Buzz) Thomson was sceptical at first of the ‘moments away, worlds apart’ slogan, but after living here since 2017 he believes it delivers more than the slogans promise. 

“The planning of Hobsonville Point stands out for me. We have walkable streets, shared laneways, public art and our coastal walkway has become a community anchor. It draws people here,” he says.

The planning Buzz mentions is a recurring theme. Architect Errol Haarhoff was impressed by the area’s master-planning, clear urban design guidelines, the consistent quality of housing and the surrounding environment. 

Errol says: “We didn’t actively choose Hobsonville Point. It chose us. We came here for a visit on a whim after hearing about the farmers’ market and loved the place so much we put a deposit on a house within a week,” he says.

Like Buzz, Errol was drawn to the area’s walkability and the presence of social infrastructure. He highlights that early investment in schools, public art, markets, and the coastal walkway helped potential buyers imagine what life would be like in Hobsonville Point.

Errol participated in a National Science Challenge project, which looked at Hobsonville Point as a case study. The study involved interviews with residents. 

‘Living at Density in Hobsonville Point, Auckland: Resident Perceptions’ was authored by Errol Haarhoff, Natalie Allen, Patricia Austin, Lee Beattie and Paola Boar in April 2019.

Overwhelmingly, their research demonstrated that satisfaction among residents was high. Respondents highlighted the importance of quality public spaces at Hobsonville Point, which prioritised the wellbeing of residents.

Good development through partnership

Jenny Larking is Head of Growth and Regeneration Delivery in Auckland Council’s newly established Auckland Urban Development Office (AUDO). She is also a resident of Hobsonville Point.

She says the new AUDO is council’s “front door” for partnerships like the one that made Hobsonville Point possible, working with government agencies, iwi, developers, not-for-profit organisations and other partners to deliver smarter, better urban outcomes in Auckland.

She says Hobsonville Point is a shining example for the future of new housing in Tāmaki Makaurau because of its careful master-planning and design.

“The site allowed developers and council to plan new infrastructure, housing, resilience features and amenity all at once, and then to use the area’s uniqueness to get better outcomes. It is always our ambition at Auckland Council, through the Unitary Plan, to enable good development and good design through smart, strategic partnerships.”

Jenny says people have embraced the lifestyle at Hobsonville Point.

“From what I’ve seen, people don’t try and live as they might have lived anywhere else. They enjoy and embrace what’s been created here. Generations can move through different stages in this area – from stand-alone houses to townhouses, duplexes, apartments and even retirement villages.

“And parents of young children have a level of comfort here – 60 to 70 percent of kids walk or cycle to school, a lot higher than the Auckland average. The pathways are wide, roads are safe to cross and we have good pedestrianised infrastructure, encouraging people to get out and about,” Jenny says.

She adds that in new housing development like this Auckland Council and developers build flood resilience in from the start – with rain gardens, bio swales and wetlands protecting people, property and the environment from flooding.

Transport options are also evolving to match people’s needs. The popular ferry service has been expanded to have more sailings and they carry bikes and scooters on board, allowing people to make multi-modal trips. 

Multiple bus routes run through the neighbourhood, including the recently improved number 12 service, which connects Henderson and Constellation Station on the Northern Busway via Hobsonville. This service, with double decker electric buses, is one of the most popular in Auckland.

Density done well

Orson Waldock works for Kāinga Ora (and formerly Hobsonville Land Company) as Team Leader Urban Design and is also a long-time resident of Hobsonville Point. In his role at Kāinga Ora, he helped shape the design and delivery of the neighbourhood over six years.

“Within the Kāinga Ora team, this project is colloquially known as the ‘University of Hobsonville Point’. It has enabled us to explore what density done well looks like in a contemporary Auckland context,” Orson says.

“While early housing at Hobsonville Point was more conventional (standalone homes on compact sections), over time we’ve been able to innovate, test and deliver a greater variety of housing forms including terraces, apartments and mixed-use buildings.

“The uplift in density (approximately two to three times greater than conventional suburbs) has come with unique challenges as section sizes have decreased. A large part of my role has been working alongside builder partners and designers to ensure we maintain design quality and liveability.

“My experience of living in Hobsonville Point for 10 years is that the community makes the most of this new kind of neighbourhood. I meet at the local bus stop most mornings at 6am to run with the Early Bird Run Crew. It’s an amazing group of locals who shuffle 5km around the stunning Te Onekiritea Park and Coastal Walkway. The exercise is good, but the company is better. It’s a regular reminder of why we chose to move to Hobsonville Point,” he says.

Hobsonville has some fun-tastic playgrounds for the kids to enjoy all year round.

The people of Hobsonville Point are proud of their place. It’s a proof-point for a widely-held urban planning premise that a mix of housing options will foster vibrant, inclusive, and connected communities.

Hobsonville Point’s transformation reflects what is possible. 

MIL OSI

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/03/21/hobsonville-point-first-decade-of-a-housing-masterclass/

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Super Rugby Pacific: Reds beat Fijian Drua in Lautoka

Source: Radio New Zealand

Fijian Drua couldn’t capitalise on their home advantage as they lost their Super Rugby Pacific match 21-6 to the Queensland Reds in Lautoka.

The Drua had won five of their last seven matches on their home turf but struggled to find cohesion in their attacks today.

Both teams made plenty of mistakes in a scrappy affair but the Reds made two telling blows in the second half, and the Drua just couldn’t respond despite trying hard.

The Reds led 7-6 at halftime, but the second spell tries to Harry McLaughlin-Phillips and Richie Asiata blunted the Drua effort, as the players made too many handling errors.

The result gives the Reds a bonus point victory and four wins in a row, while the Drua are left in ninth place on the table, with four of their next five games away from home.

See how the match unfolded here.

Kick-off was at Suncorp Stadium at 4.35pm.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/03/21/super-rugby-pacific-reds-beat-fijian-drua-in-lautoka/

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Vintage cars celebrated in Nelson festival

Source: Radio New Zealand

Cars lined up for the teams relay as part of the Vero International Festival of Motoring Samantha Gee/RNZ

There have been flashbacks to the past on the roads around Nelson this week, with hundreds of veteran, vintage and classic cars hitting the streets as part of an international motoring festival.

The four-yearly Vero International Festival of Historic Motoring has drawn people in from all over the country, with some even shipping their beloved cars from as far as the US and Europe for the occasion. It was last held in Nelson in 1972.

The Auckland Veteran and Vintage Car Club brought a blue 1915 Renault Charabanc, known as Angelique, down for the event.

Club member John Stokes said vehicle was found and restored by the club in the 1960s. It had originally been used as a truck to haul timber, then as a speedway vehicle, before it became a farm hack and was left to disintegrate in a paddock.

The 1915 Renault Charabanc named Angelique which is owned by The Veteran and Vintage Car Club in Auckland. Samantha Gee/RNZ

“This type of vehicle was very common probably between about 1910, maybe earlier, and the Second World War. They largely disappeared after World War II.”

The crank start Renault was doing laps as part of a relay challenge at the festival on Friday, where teams of up to 30 vehicles compete to achieve the greatest collective distance over a four hour period.

Stokes said its comfortable cruising speed was somewhere between the 30 and 40 kilometre per hour range and it was maintained by a group of five to ten club members who met once a a month.

“Although it’s probably going to need a bit more maintenance after today when it gets back.”

Jim and Lynn Hefkey also made the trip down from Auckland in their 1975 Bricklin SV1 and Jim said didn’t want to think about how much the fuel had cost, given they still had to get home.

Jim and Lynn Hefkey with their 1975 Bricklin SV1. Samantha Gee/RNZ

“I’m hoping they don’t start shutting the pumps off, you know, when you’ve got a big American V8, they’re fairly thirsty.

He said the Bricklin were built in Canada for the American market, and with their gull wings, bear a striking resemblance to the DMC DeLorean.

“They all say, oh, back to the future, but no…This is the back, the DeLorean is the future.”

The Hefkey’s Bricklin which they drove from Auckland to the festival in Nelson. Samantha Gee/RNZ

Hefey said there were only two other Bricklin SV1’s in New Zealand, both in Christchurch and the couple would head there after Nelson to meet their owners.

Mike White is on the festival organising team and said there were around 1200 participants and 560 vehicles, with people travelling from as far as Czechoslovakia, Canada, the USA and the UK to take part.

“Not all of them have brought vehicles, but some have, some have shipped their Packard’s and the like out, it’s pretty amazing.”

Mike White with his 1955 series 1 Landrover. Samantha Gee/RNZ

The week-long event was tipped to inject $4.5 million dollars into the region.

Rally directors Jim and Kyra Wareing spent hundreds of hours compiling runs – so entrants had the chance to tour the region,

Their aim was to ensure festival-goers could see the region’s three national parks – Abel Tasman, Kahurangi and Nelson Lakes, travel on back roads, and visit places of interest like the Higgins Heritage Park, Gardens of the World and the Port Māpua Maritime Museum.

Jim and Kyra Wareing in their 1972 mark II. Samantha Gee/RNZ

“We’ve encouraged them to go to Marahau and get out of the car, walk across the boardwalk, and touch the [Abel Tasman] national park and same at St Arnaud, they were right at the [Nelson Lakes], so we encouraged them to go for a walk in the bush,” Jim Wareing said.

He said there were several runs each day, short ones to cater for small veteran cars which were over 100 years old, and longer runs to cater for newer models.

Nelson man Jared Dacombe is one of the younger festival attendees, at the age of 28. He owns several vintage cars and said his 1989 Nissan Skyline GTR was also among the newer vehicles.

Jared Dacombe with his 1989 Skyline GTR. Samantha Gee/RNZ

“Anything 30 years old is club eligible. It’s kind of a bit controversial but it has its own in history as well and that’s that’s what this thing is about – cars in history.

Dacombe, who owns an automotive business, said his love of motoring came from his great grandfather.

“We we did a lot of touring together both in vintage and classic cars, but the first one was a big international rally down in Invercargill.

“It was just awesome, as a kid, six years old, cruising on the back of a 34 Dodge, it was great touring from Nelson down the coast route and staying in different accommodation, it was just a big buzz.”

Nelson man Stephen Caunter has a 1937 International D2 truck, a 20-year restoration project that he said cost a bit to run, given the increasing cost of fuel.

Nelson man Stephen Caunter with his 1937 International D2 truck. Samantha Gee/RNZ

“There will be people that will go, is this an appropriate thing for the use of fuel at the moment? And, you know, this has been in the organisation stage for years, and did we know what the price of fuel was going to do the month before the event starts?”

He said some vehicles were more fuel efficient than others and a survey of fuel usage among those attending the rally was being done, in order to understand the total consumption.

Caunter said his truck had been in Nelson for years, it was used as a tow track during speedway racing and still had Tahuna Beach Auto Services painted on the side.

“Everyone takes an immense amount of pride in whatever sort of vehicle that they’ve got and I think their ability to share it with the public is one of the joys of vintage motoring.”

Festival director Ray Robertson said the event was several years in the planning and there had been a few recent curveballs – the fuel crisis, ferry cancellations and several car breakdowns.

Festival director Ray Robertson. Samantha Gee/RNZ

“We’ve really had a lot of influence over what happens in the Middle East, you can’t do anything about it.

“Could we have postponed it? Sure, we could have, but why would we?”

The festival finishes tomorrow with a public vehicle show at the Richmond A&P Showgrounds.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/03/21/vintage-cars-celebrated-in-nelson-festival/

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‘Huge explosion’: Firefighters respond to house fire in Christchurch’s Aranui

Source: Radio New Zealand

RNZ/Marika Khabazi

Two people have been seriously injured in a house fire in Christchurch.

Firefighters were called to a fire in the Christchurch suburb of Aranui on Friday evening.

Fire and Emergency said the house on Bournemouth Crescent was well ablaze when crews arrived.

It said the fire had since been extinguished and all people were accounted for.

Nearby residents posted on social media that they had heard a “huge explosion” and others reported their house shaking as a result.

Bournemouth Street resident, Scott, said he was listening to loud music at home when he felt that his house shook.

He went outside to have a look at what happened, only to discover that a nearby house was on fire.

“There was actually a guy screaming, because he was actually on fire, and he ran out of the house from what I saw, and someone aimed him with a fire extinguisher,

“And you could see the flames from one of the down stair windows as I was walking towards it, starting to leap around inside the house, and from there the fire pretty much took off and crept out a window.

“Thankfully by then there was about half the street out, going what the hell is going on, and they were calling fire brigade and the cops.”

Scott said the house on fire was one of two, two-storey units that are linked.

He said he heard there was a family living in the linked unit, who managed to get out safely.

St John ambulance said two patients in a serious condition were transported to Christchurch Hospital.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/03/20/huge-explosion-firefighters-respond-to-house-fire-in-christchurchs-aranui/

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‘Huge explosion’: Firefighers respond to house fire in Christchurch’s Aranui

Source: Radio New Zealand

RNZ/Marika Khabazi

Two people have been seriously injured in a house fire in Christchurch.

Firefighters were called to a fire in the Christchurch suburb of Aranui on Friday evening.

Fire and Emergency said the house on Bournemouth Crescent was well ablaze when crews arrived.

It said the fire had since been extinguished and all people were accounted for.

Nearby residents posted on social media that they had heard a “huge explosion” and others reported their house shaking as a result.

St John ambulance said two patients in a serious condition were transported to Christchurch Hospital.

More to come…

Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/03/20/huge-explosion-firefighers-respond-to-house-fire-in-christchurchs-aranui/

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Phuket Strengthens Position as a Secure International Residential Destination for Global Families

Source: Media Outreach

Growing international demand, strengthened long-haul connectivity, and the continued evolution ofLaguna Phuket are reinforcing Thailand’s largest island as a stable, private, and internationally accessible place to live and invest.

PHUKET, THAILAND – Media OutReach Newswire – 20 March 2026 – Phuket’s evolution from a world-renowned holiday island into a mature international residential community is entering a new phase, supported by expanding long-haul connectivity and sustained global confidence in Thailand as a safe and welcoming destination.

The island has recorded consistent growth in long-term residents and international property buyers, reflecting a broader shift among globally mobile families seeking stability, quality of life and secure residency pathways. Phuket offers privacy, natural beauty and international-standard infrastructure within a country known for hospitality and political stability.

Thailand welcomed more than 35 million international visitors in 2025. Long-haul arrivals exceeded 11 million, rising 13% year-on-year and generating approximately 668 billion baht in tourism revenue. Despite short-term geopolitical fluctuations, long-term demand for Thailand as a stable and accessible destination has remained resilient.

Connectivity continues to strengthen with new direct long-haul services from Europe, including Paris, London and Scandinavia. Improved access is driving interest in extended stays, family relocation and residential investment, as visitors increasingly explore long-term living options.

Phuket offers international-standard healthcare, leading international schools, yacht marinas, championship golf courses and well-developed infrastructure. High-speed connectivity and direct air links to more than 80 cities ensure seamless access to global business and travel networks while maintaining privacy and lifestyle comfort.

Industry research ranks Phuket among the world’s leading destinations for branded residences, alongside Dubai, Miami and New York. Foreign buyers account for more than 60% of condominium purchases, underscoring sustained international confidence.

Thailand’s structured long-term visa framework provides renewable residency pathways for retirees, investors, entrepreneurs and remote professionals. For buyers of select premium residences, Banyan Group facilitates Thailand Elite long-term residency visas, offering multi-year entry privileges.

At the centre of this evolution is Laguna Phuket, developed by Banyan Group. Over 35 years it has grown into one of Asia’s most established integrated resort and residential communities. Spanning more than 1,000 acres along Bang Tao Beach, Laguna Phuket includes six hotels, an award-winning golf course, wellness facilities, RAVA beach club and more than 3,000 branded residences linked by scenic lagoons. Residents from over 70 nationalities call it home.

The next phase includes approximately 5,000 additional residences across Laguna Phuket and neighbouring Laguna Lakelands, reflecting sustained confidence in Phuket’s long-term residential future.

Banyan Group Residences, ranked fifth worldwide and number one in Asia in branded residences, plans to launch approximately US$1 billion in new residential projects in Phuket, reinforcing its commitment to the island’s continued development.

Phuket today represents more than a luxury retreat. It has matured into a secure, internationally integrated residential market offering stability, privacy and long-term clarity for globally minded families.

Hashtag: #BanyanGroup

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

– Published and distributed with permission of Media-Outreach.com.

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/03/21/phuket-strengthens-position-as-a-secure-international-residential-destination-for-global-families/

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Phuket Sees Increasing Number of Americans Looking to Buy Property for Lifestyle and Investment

Source: Media Outreach

Growing international demand, strengthened long-haul connectivity, and the continued evolution ofLaguna Phuket are reinforcing Thailand’s largest island as a secure, globally connected and structurally mature place to live and invest.

PHUKET, THAILAND – Media OutReach Newswire – 20 March 2026 – Phuket’s transformation from a leisure destination into an established international residential market continues to gain momentum, supported by expanding air connectivity and rising interest from globally mobile investors and families.

The island has seen steady growth in long-term residents and international property buyers, reflecting a broader shift toward geographic diversification and lifestyle-driven asset allocation. Increasingly, Americans are exploring markets that combine quality of life with infrastructure reliability and clear long-term residency pathways.

Compared with many major U.S. coastal cities, Phuket offers significantly lower living costs while maintaining international-standard healthcare, hospitality infrastructure and strong global connectivity.

Thailand welcomed more than 35 million international visitors in 2025, including approximately 1.2 million from the United States. Long-haul arrivals exceeded 11 million, up 13% year-on-year and generating approximately 668 billion baht in tourism revenue, underscoring continued international confidence.

Thailand is accessible from the U.S. via major hubs including Tokyo, Seoul, Hong Kong, Singapore and Bangkok, with travel times comparable to many trans-Pacific routes. Expanding airline networks are further improving access through key Asian gateways.

Improved connectivity is driving interest in extended stays, remote work flexibility and international property ownership, with more visitors exploring long-term residency alongside leisure travel.

Phuket offers international-standard healthcare, leading international schools, yacht marinas, championship golf courses, premium retail and dining, and reliable high-speed connectivity. The island combines resort-style living with the infrastructure required for full-time residence.

Industry research ranks Phuket among the world’s leading destinations for branded residences, alongside Dubai, Miami and New York. Foreign buyers account for more than 60% of prime condominium purchases, reflecting broad global participation. Direct air links to more than 80 cities reinforce integration into global travel networks.

Thailand’s long-term visa framework provides renewable pathways for retirees, investors, entrepreneurs and remote professionals. For buyers of select premium residences, Banyan Group facilitates Thailand Elite long-term residency visas, aligning property ownership with multi-year entry privileges.

At the centre of this evolution is Laguna Phuket, developed by Banyan Group. Over 35 years it has grown into one of Asia’s most established integrated resort and residential communities. Spanning more than 1,000 acres along Bang Tao Beach, it includes six hotels, an award-winning golf course, wellness facilities, RAVA beach club and more than 3,000 branded residences. Approximately 5,000 additional residences are planned across Laguna Phuket and neighbouring Laguna Lakelands.

Banyan Group Residences, ranked fifth worldwide and number one in Asia in branded residences, plans to launch approximately US$1 billion in new residential projects in Phuket.

Phuket today represents more than a resort destination. It has matured into a stable, internationally integrated residential market offering infrastructure reliability and long-term growth potential for American families and investors seeking global diversification.

Hashtag: #BanyanGroup

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

– Published and distributed with permission of Media-Outreach.com.

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/03/21/phuket-sees-increasing-number-of-americans-looking-to-buy-property-for-lifestyle-and-investment/

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China’s 2026 Government Work Report Indicates a New Cycle of Quality Enhancement for Commercial Real Estate Stock

Source: Media Outreach

Cushman & Wakefield Interpretation Report Highlights Eight Impact Areas for Real Estate Market

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 20 March 2026 – Global real estate services firm Cushman & Wakefield has released its China’s Two Sessions 2026: Interpreting the Government Work Report publication. Against a backdrop of increasingly complex domestic and international conditions, the 2026 government work report outlines more flexible and adaptive targets for national economic development. These policy directions will have a profound influence on the real estate sector. The market’s transition from focusing on incremental expansion to revitalizing and optimizing existing assets — combined with the accelerating integration of artificial intelligence across industries —will reshape market structures, redefine asset values, and reconfigure spatial development patterns in far-reaching ways.

Macroeconomic Stability Strengthens the Foundation for Commercial Real Estate Stabilization

China’s core economic targets for 2026 are clearly defined, with GDP growth set between 4.5%–5%, balancing the dual objectives of stabilizing growth and adjusting structure. This forms a strong macro foundation for the stabilization and gradual recovery of the commercial real estate sector. Between 2024 and 2025, GDP growth remained steady at around 5.0%. For 2026, the fiscal deficit ratio is maintained at a relatively high 4.0%, with RMB4.4 trillion in local special‑purpose bonds. The quota for ultra‑long‑term special treasury bonds is further expanded to RMB1.3 trillion. Coordinated fiscal and monetary policies will continue to support leasing demand recovery and improved business sentiment in the commercial property market.

Accelerated Industry Transformation Sees Quality Enhancement of Existing Assets Become the Core Theme

The report emphasizes a three‑pronged approach of “city‑specific policies to control new supply, reduce inventory, and improve quality”, while encouraging diverse channels to revitalize existing housing stock and advancing the construction of “good homes.” This marks an accelerated shift from incremental expansion to quality enhancement of existing assets. In 2024, China’s real estate value‑added as a proportion of GDP was just 6.3%, far below the 12.56% average of developed economies. This reflects a structural imbalance characterized by heavy investment in development and insufficient focus on services and leasing. The ongoing transition will make asset management, property services, and leasing operations increasingly central to asset valuation.

Consumption‑Driven Momentum Creates a New Growth Window for Retail Properties

Consumption‑boosting policies are injecting new vitality into the retail property market. The government work report allocates RMB250 billion of ultra‑long‑term special treasury bonds to support product upgrades and replacement, complemented by RMB100 billion in coordinated fiscal‑financial funds — creating a RMB350 billion consumption stimulus package. In 2025, China’s total retail sales of consumer goods exceeded RMB50 trillion, with per‑capita GDP reaching USD13,953, signaling a critical inflection point where service‑oriented consumption accelerates. With services currently accounting for just 46.1% of consumption, there remains significant room for growth. Policies promoting “high‑quality service consumption” and “new consumption scenarios,” combined with the promotion of staggered school holidays in spring and autumn, will create opportunities for high‑quality shopping centers focused on experiential and social retail formats.

AI‑Powered Intelligent Economy Drives an Upgrade in Office Market Demand

The rapid evolution of the intelligent economy is reshaping office market demand. The work report calls for expansion of “AI+,” wider deployment of intelligent agents, and accelerated development of large‑scale computing clusters, indicating the transition of AI into commercialized and scaled applications. In 2025, China’s core digital economy industries accounted for more than 10.5% of GDP, with the target set at 12.5% during the 15th Five‑Year Plan. AI‑related companies are expected to become key new leasing drivers in 2026. This will also stimulate a fresh investment cycle for data centers and industrial parks, with core computing hub cities — in the Beijing‑Tianjin‑Hebei region, Yangtze River Delta, and the Guangdong‑Hong Kong‑Macao Greater Bay Area — set to benefit first.

Capital Market Reforms Expand, Enabling a Full “Investment–Financing–Management–Exit” Cycle for Commercial Real Estate

Capital market reforms continue to support expansion in commercial real estate investment. The work report calls for deepened reform of comprehensive investment and financing mechanisms, expanded exit channels for private equity and venture capital, and accelerated growth of the public REITs market. By 2025, China’s public REITs issuance exceeded RMB210 billion, making it the largest REITs market in Asia. In 2026, commercial public REITs enter their first year of development, with pilots extended to hotels and commercial offices. This establishes a “dual‑engine” landscape of “infrastructure + commercial real estate” and enables a more complete investment‑financing‑management‑exit cycle

Further Opening‑Up Boosts Cross‑Border Logistics and Foreign Investment Demand

China’s opening‑up objectives in 2026 feature two core characteristics: expanding services sector openness to attract foreign investment, and promoting standardized, high‑quality development of cross‑border e‑commerce. In 2025, China’s cross‑border e‑commerce imports and exports totaled RMB2.75 trillion, with growth outpacing overall trade for the fourth consecutive year. The sector’s demand for high‑specification warehouses — characterized by high density and rapid turnover —continues to rise. Cushman & Wakefield data shows that the warehouse market is experiencing volume growth alongside price adjustment, with notable regional differences. As cross‑border e‑commerce becomes more regulated, and cold‑chain logistics demand continues to expand, green‑certified, intelligent high‑spec warehouses are expected to gain a competitive advantage.

Advancement of New Urbanization Brings Opportunities for Urban Clusters and Urban Renewal

A notable highlight among 2026 urbanization policies is the first‑ever proposal to build “innovation‑driven industrial communities and business communities.” This concept breaks the traditional boundary between industrial parks and business districts, fostering integrated complexes that combine office, commercial, and residential functions. The report also supports the development of world‑class city clusters in the Beijing‑Tianjin‑Hebei region, the Yangtze River Delta, and the Greater Bay Area, while enhancing the dual‑city Chengdu‑Chongqing Economic Circle and accelerating growth in the middle‑Yangtze city cluster — further intensifying regional differentiation in the commercial property market. Urban renewal and revitalization of existing stock assets are core pillars of the current urbanization strategy. Policies promoting the reuse of existing land and idle buildings align closely with efforts to revitalize existing housing stock. For owners and operators of prime urban assets, regeneration projects offer strategic opportunities for repositioning and value enhancement.

Green Transformation Prompts Sustainability Certifications to Become a Key Competitive Advantage

The work report dedicates a standalone section to the green transition, announcing dual controls on total carbon emissions and intensity, as well as new policy tools such as zero‑carbon parks and a national low‑carbon transition fund. In 2025, China’s national carbon market saw 235 million tons of allowances traded, with transaction value reaching RMB14.63 billion, up approximately 24% year‑on‑year. Carbon costs have become an increasingly important factor in corporate leasing and location decisions. With 97.9% of newly built urban buildings in 2024 meeting green standards, green retrofits of existing buildings are gaining momentum. Commercial properties certified under LEED, WELL, and China’s Green Building Label standard enjoy notable advantages in rental premiums and tenant attraction.

Sabrina Wei, Chief Policy Analyst and Head of Research, North China, Cushman & Wakefield, said, “The 2026 government work report outlines a clear development vision for commercial real estate characterized by macroeconomic stability, targeted policies, and structural transformation. A GDP growth rate of 4.5%-5% will provide market stability, a RMB350 billion consumption stimulus will activate demand for retail properties, “AI+” will reshape the office market; capital market reforms and public REITs will enable a full “Investment–Financing–Management–Exit” cycle, urban renewal will unlock values of existing assets, and green certification will define new competitiveness for the industry. As the real estate industry transitions from a construction‑focused model to one centered on operations and services, institutions with strong capabilities in asset management and high‑quality operational service delivery will be best positioned to capture the emerging opportunities of this transformative new cycle.”

To access the full report please click here.

Hashtag: #CushmanWakefield

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

– Published and distributed with permission of Media-Outreach.com.

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/03/20/chinas-2026-government-work-report-indicates-a-new-cycle-of-quality-enhancement-for-commercial-real-estate-stock/

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Qianhai Launches OPC Mavericks Program to Empower Global AI Solopreneurs

Source: Media Outreach

SHENZHEN, CHINA – Media OutReach Newswire – 20 March 2026 – On March 18, Qianhai, a flagship hub for institutional opening-up, high-end services and technological innovation in southern China, officially opened the application portal for the Qianhai OPC (One-Person Company) International Community and launched its global OPC Mavericks Program. Adhering to the philosophy of “All Innovation, Zero Distraction”, the initiative aims to build the world’s leading ecosystem for AI-driven one-person companies.

Qianhai OPC (One-Person Company) International Community officially opens for applications

Widely recognized as a pioneering zone for China’s institutional opening-up and a key innovation node in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, Qianhai leads the country in piloting cross-border cooperation, regulatory innovation and business-friendly reforms. It has grown into a highland for advanced services, tech research and development, and entrepreneurial ecosystems, connecting global talents, capital and technologies with the massive market of the Greater Bay Area.

The OPC Mavericks Program targets six elite groups: academic pioneers, tech veterans, global AI competition winners, elite prodigies, influential open-source contributors, and outstanding graduates in AI and computer science. Eligible projects should leverage generative AI, large language models, AI agents and automation to build sustainable closed-loop businesses.

As the world’s first vertical accelerator dedicated to OPCs, the community provides a tailor-made AI launchpad with the SENSE ecosystem and the “Eight Zeros” guarantee to remove startup barriers: supported office space up to 200㎡ for two years, talent housing up to 50㎡ per person, annual free computing power up to 50P, free LLM trials, Greater Bay Area market access, collateral-free loans, high-risk-tolerance seed funding, annual talent rewards up to 600,000 RMB, and one-stop services for visas, finance, IP, taxation and global internet access.

To help global innovators experience opportunities in the region, Qianhai offers the Shenzhen-Hong Kong 72-Hour Experience Pass, which was officially launched in 2025. This pass provides streamlined entry arrangements, guided visits to tech platforms, enterprises and research institutions in both cities, and on-site insights into the OPC entrepreneurship environment. It serves as a key channel for global talents to fully explore cooperation and development prospects in the Greater Bay Area.

The program supports AI solopreneurs to turn ideas into scalable businesses. Qualified applicants can submit core founder resumes and project pitch decks to inqianhai@qhidg.com to join the program and embrace new opportunities in the Greater Bay Area.

Hashtag: #Qianhai #GreaterBayArea #AIInnovation #GenerativeAI #StartupEcosystem #AIEntrepreneurship

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

– Published and distributed with permission of Media-Outreach.com.

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/03/20/qianhai-launches-opc-mavericks-program-to-empower-global-ai-solopreneurs/

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Super Rugby Pacific: Hurricanes humiliate Highlanders

Source: Radio New Zealand

Fehi Fineanganofo of the Hurricanes, pictured in an earlier match, scored a hat-trick. Elias Rodriguez / www.photosport.nz

The Hurricanes have kicked clear at the top of the Super Rugby standings after hammering the Highlanders 50-7 in Dunedin.

A hat-trick for Fehi Fineanganofo and a brace for Cam Roigard saw the Hurricanes romp to a 10th straight win over the Southerners.

The Highlanders would strike first through Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens as the fullback sliced through untouched to score beside the bar.

But that would be as good as it got for the home side as the Hurricanes went on a 50-point unanswered scoring spree.

Roigard’s first came as he threw an audacious dummy just a metre from the chalk and launched himself over.

Next was from a quick tap, Roigard catching the Highlanders napping from a scrum penalty.

The Cane’s stretched their advantage courtesy of a pinpoint, flat cross kick by Ruben Love which landed perfectly in the arms of Fineanganofo.

The tries kept coming after the break, the best of the night coming shortly after sparked by a Ruben Love break.

Some beautiful interchange between the Hurricanes putting Devan Flanders over to cap a 60-metre scorcher.

The wheels well and truly fell off the hosts as replacement Bailyn Sullivan cruised over the chalk with Fineanganofo completing his trio.

The half century came through Peter Lakai as he lunged over from close range, mercifully ending the desiccation.

Follow how the action unfolded:

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/03/20/super-rugby-pacific-hurricanes-humiliate-highlanders/

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Global Talent Summit Week Looks Ahead to the Future Workplace in the AI Era

Source: Media Outreach

Nobel Laureate affirms Hong Kong’s strengths in attracting global high-calibre talent, contributing to the country’s drive to become a high-technology hub

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 20 March 2026 -The Labour and Welfare Bureau of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) and the Hong Kong Talent Engage (HKTE) are jointly hosting the Global Talent Summit Week (GTS Week) in Hong Kong. The two flagship events — the International Talent Forum and the CareerConnect Expo — were held over the past two days, drawing over 10,000 participants and 170,000 live-stream views. Through a series of keynote sessions, panel discussions and networking opportunities, the events further solidified Hong Kong’s dual advantages as an international talent hub and the country’s gateway for talent.

The Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, attended the Global Talent Summit Week. Photo shows (front row, from third left) the Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Mr Chris Sun; Nobel Laureate and Regius Professor of Economics of the Department of Economics of London School of Economics, Professor Christopher A Pissarides; Vice Minister of Human Resources and Social Security Mr Yu Jiadong; Mr Lee; the President of Peking University, Professor Gong Qihuang, and other guests at the ceremony.

Among the distinguished speakers at the International Talent Forum was Professor Christopher A Pissarides, 2010 Nobel Laureate in Economic Sciences. In his keynote address, he said that Hong Kong possesses clear strengths in traditional industries such as finance and commerce, and is home to a world-class education system. With the rapid development of advanced technology across the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) — in particular its proximity to Shenzhen as a hub for innovation hardware and industrial artificial intelligence (AI) — Hong Kong is well placed to develop into a regional high-tech hub, further strengthening its appeal to global talent.

“Hong Kong possesses a vibrant service-based economy, a high-quality talent pool and productivity, proactive government policies, and a thriving entrepreneurial culture. These strengths define Hong Kong’s unique role within the GBA and will be key to its continued ability to attract international talent,” he said.

Professor Pissarides emphasised that AI is having a comprehensive impact across all areas of production and work. He stressed that AI should be positioned as a tool to complement human resources — designed to enhance productivity and improve employee well-being, rather than to replace the workforce. He anticipated that proficiency in AI development and application, such as engineers and data analysts, would be at the forefront of the coming wave of global talent competition.

Hong Kong’s Unique Advantages Attracting Global Talent to Thrive with Confidence

Mr John Lee, the Chief Executive of the HKSAR, officiated at the opening ceremony of the GTS Week and delivered the opening address at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre(HKCEC) on the 18th March. He said that Hong Kong is fast rising as an international talent hub, driven by a comprehensive and forward-looking strategy that integrates talent development with economic transformation, technological advancement and regional co-operation. Such efforts have been widely recognised, with Hong Kong rising to fourth globally and first in Asia in the International Institute for Management Development’s World Talent Ranking 2025.

Mr Lee said that Hong Kong will continue to uphold openness, deepen international engagement and align closely with national development strategies. Policies in education, innovation and infrastructure will be further refined to ensure Hong Kong remains a fertile ground for ideas and enterprises, where global talent feels welcomed, valued and supported. He stressed that while economic indicators and technological achievements are important, human development remains the ultimate goal, and Hong Kong will continue to place people at the centre of its vision for the future.

At a critical juncture in the global transformation of innovation, technology and talent development, Hong Kong — positioned as a regional nexus for high-calibre talent — is leveraging the GTS Week to foster international talent collaboration, showcase diverse development opportunities and garner insights from government, business and academic leaders on future talent trends.

Centred on the integrated development of education, technology and talents, the GTS Week includes a series of discussions and exchanges across multiple sessions. Speakers so far have included Mr Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges, Chief Executive Officer of The Hong Kong Jockey Club, and Mr Joe Ngai, Chairman of McKinsey & Company Greater China, who discussed the evolving demand for skilled professionals and how innovation is reshaping China’s talent development landscape.

Experts and Leaders Envision the Future Landscape of Education, Technology and Talents

The Forum also held panel discussions on education, technology and talents, bringing together industry leaders including Professor Gong Qihuang, President of Peking University; Dr Lin Dahua, Co-founder and Chief Scientist of SenseTime Group Limited; and Ms Ruchee Anand, Vice President of Talent Solutions of Asia Pacific at LinkedIn. They examined the emerging talent ecosystem and explored how cross-border and cross-sector collaboration could nurture future-ready talent.

During the GTS Week, HKTE welcomed around 100 government representatives responsible for talent development in the Chinese Mainland and the Macao SAR, as well as delegates from leading universities in the Mainland to take part. They shared valuable experiences from various regions in talent attraction, retention, nurturing and recruitment, and explored strategies for talent attraction and development under the National 15th Five-Year Plan.

In recent years, the HKSAR Government has introduced a series of talent admission measures to attract and facilitate talent from around the world to develop their careers in Hong Kong, and settle down in the city.

Another highlight of this year’s GTS Week was the CareerConnect Expo, held concurrently with the Forum at the HKCEC. The Expo brought together around 70 corporations, educational and technology institutions, and government departments across five thematic zones, presenting Hong Kong’s latest talent admission policies and industry information, settlement support services, and career prospects across the GBA.

GTS Week continues until March 29, with nine satellite events covering regional conferences, career fairs and corporate award ceremonies, establishing a comprehensive platform for professional networking and information exchange. These include the signing of a cooperation agreement between HKTE and Junior Chamber International Hong Kong (JCIHK). Leveraging JCIHK’s network of over 150,000 young leaders and members across 114 countries and regions worldwide, HKTE will reach out and invite global talent to explore development opportunities in Hong Kong and the GBA.

Building on the success of its inaugural edition in 2024, this year’s GTS Week has expanded into a series of events, themed around the integrated development of education, technology and talents. The GTS Week follows Hong Kong’s historic ascent to the top position in Asia on the International Institute for Management Development (IMD) World Talent Ranking 2025, fully demonstrating Hong Kong’s strong appeal to global talent.

To learn more about the highlights of the GTS Week and Professor Pissarides’ insightful views, please visit gts.hkengage.gov.hk/en/video-gallery or follow HKTE on social media.

Hashtag: #HongKongTalentEngage

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

– Published and distributed with permission of Media-Outreach.com.

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/03/20/global-talent-summit-week-looks-ahead-to-the-future-workplace-in-the-ai-era/

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Understanding Auckland’s regional flood maps

Source: Auckland Council

In Auckland, we’ve seen how natural hazards like flooding, coastal erosion and landslides can impact people, homes and businesses.

We’re also seeing more Aucklanders interested in knowing about their flood risk including when they’re looking to purchase property or move into a new rental property. This includes checking the flood hazard maps on Auckland Council’s Flood Viewer or Geomaps beforehand, or by purchasing a Land Information Memorandum (LIM) report.

Here is some useful information on how and why we publish these maps, and what they mean.

Why does Auckland Council publish flood maps?

Auckland Council is required to maintain hazard information that is publicly available – including flooding. This publicly available flood information, including flood plains, flood prone areas, and overland flow paths are free to view and published online on Flood Viewer and Geomaps websites.

The maps are produced for a whole catchment, group of catchments or at a regional level to show how water moves across the landscape. They’re not site specific (based on individual property data) and don’t include flood mitigations to a building.

What else are these maps used for?

In addition to informing the public, these flood maps are underpinned by detailed hydrological and hydraulic modelling that Auckland Council uses to analyse catchments and understand how flooding occurs.

This modelling helps the council design, upgrade, and prioritise stormwater infrastructure across the region. It is also used by the transport sector when designing roads, culverts, and associated assets, ensuring they are resilient to flooding.

Property developers rely on the same information to understand stormwater requirements for new developments and to ensure their proposals appropriately manage flood risk.

Why is this information on LIM reports?

A LIM report provides a high-level summary of information we hold about a property. It’s a ‘snapshot in time’ and identifies hazard information the council holds about a property at the specified date and time – new information and reports are not created when a LIM is purchased, we compile the most recent information we hold at that time. 

For flood maps, information is taken from regional and/or catchment maps and an overlay is applied showing the boundaries of the requested property. It is not based on individual property data and does not include any mitigations that may have occurred at the property for a building or home.

Auckland Council has a legal obligation under the law (the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987 section 44B) to identify natural hazards relating to a property, which are known to us, on LIM reports – this includes flooding.

How can I find out more information about the natural hazard information (like the flood maps) on a LIM?

The LIM report does not provide or replace site-specific information or property-level reports. It’s a starting point and a summary of the information we hold.

Those receiving LIMs are encouraged to use the report to further their due diligence, like ordering a copy of the council’s property file, reaching out to our technical specialists or seeking opinions and/or advice from independent third-party specialists.

What flood maps are included in LIMs?

LIMs include a map entitled ‘Natural Hazards – Flooding’, which displays information about the following potential flood hazards in relation to the site:

  • Flood plains
  • Flood prone areas
  • Flood sensitive areas
  • Overland flow paths

The absence of flooding information on the maps does not exclude the possibility of site flooding, including from local depressions or overland flow paths on nearby properties.

Also important to know is that Auckland Council does not have information on flood sensitive areas for all of Auckland. This potential hazard will only be depicted if the information exists.

What’s the difference between flood plains, flood prone areas and overland flow paths?

Flood plains:

Flood plains appear in low-lying areas and next to streams and rivers. As many historical streams have been piped, flood plains may appear in areas where you haven’t seen water before.

Flood plains are mapped from hydraulic modelling results and show the predicted flood extents during a 1 per cent annual exceedance probability (AEP) storm, assuming the stormwater system is functioning as intended and not blocked.

Flood prone areas:

Flood prone areas are topographical depressions/low lying areas where water can become trapped and pool.

In flood prone areas, water pools and gets trapped when the stormwater outlet pipe is blocked, or when the rainfall intensity exceeds the capacity of the stormwater network. Flood Prone Areas are identified by GIS techniques and not hydraulic modelling.

Overland flow paths:

Overland flow paths show the route water will take as it flows downhill through the landscape when there is no piped network or the capacity of the piped stormwater system is exceeded.

Water can move very quickly over land during heavy rain, forming temporary fast‑flowing streams. On Flood Viewer, these are shown as lines, but in reality, the water will spread more broadly across the surrounding area.

Overland Flow Paths are identified using GIS‑based terrain analysis, which connects the lowest points in the landscape (known as the thalweg) to map the route that water will take downhill. These paths are derived from topography and are not based on hydraulic modelling.

Major earthworks can alter the topography, and in some instances, developers may provide surveyed data to the council following a development which may result in changes to the flood mapping.

You can learn more about the different types of flood hazards on Auckland Council’s Flood Viewer.

What data are the flood plain maps based on?

The flood plains on LIM reports, and published on Flood Viewer, are based on an extreme weather event with a one per cent chance of occurring or being exceeded in any given year – this is also called a 1-in-a-hundred-year event.

To produce these maps, we consider things like:

  • the hydraulics of water flowing through pipes, channels, and overland
  • the hydrology of different rainfall events
  • land‑use types and soil characteristics
  • and climate change.

The data is then updated across the region at catchment scale, to reflect the best and most current information available at the time.

It uses surface topography captured through LiDAR – laser imaging, detection and ranging via aircraft like drones. The LiDAR data used for 95 per cent of our maps was flown in 2016, which means the flood‑plain map on the LIM reflects the landscape as it existed at that time.

The topography (land features like elevation, water bodies) data the models are based on is from 2016. How does the council account for this?

As the topography data used to inform the flood hazard maps is from 2016, when requested, we have provided a written acknowledgement of this to property owners. In the letter, we acknowledge that this means that the maps may not reflect changes made on the property including flood mitigation measures that may have been introduced by development.

Alongside this, we are in the process of providing a clarifying statement on all LIM reports to indicate when the data used to model the flood risk was gathered.

New models are expected soon. A new Auckland wide LiDAR survey was flown in 2024, and we are currently rebuilding all flood models using this updated data. This is detailed, technical work that must be done catchment by catchment – but it could be done more frequently in the future.

How often are the flood plains updated?

Councils are not required to update natural hazard information immediately whenever development occurs. Given the scale of construction across Auckland, it would be impracticable to continuously remodel every catchment for every change in topography as soon as earthworks are completed.

Auckland Council has followed a regular, cyclic update process since regional flood‑plain mapping began in 2012. Historically, this schedule has been appropriate, and only since the severe weather in early 2023 has public awareness of flood risk increased to the point where this timing has become more visible in the property market.

With more interest from Aucklanders, we’re looking at increasing how frequently we run this exercise including increasing the cadence.

Why can’t the information on my resource consent be used to show a property’s flood exposure – can the maps be adjusted?

We do not base flood‑plain maps on individual resource consent information. Earthworks plans provided for resource consents only analyse the immediate development site, not the full catchment.

Developments often occur in stages over several years, consents may be varied, and construction frequently changes from the original design. For these reasons, resource consent data cannot be used as a basis for catchment wide flood plain modelling.

However, in some cases, this data can be used to update flood prone areas. This is as it is a different type of hazard to flood plains and does not require modelling – so the topographical data can be more easily updated.

My property is showing as in a flood risk area – who can I talk to for more information?

In the first instance – reach out to Auckland Council. By talking to us, we can see if we can provide you with the information you’re looking for and explain what it means and why a property is impacted. 

We often find that the concerns people have with flood information are based on a misunderstanding of the data rather than the information itself. A conversation may be a simple way to avoid the expense of engaging an expert to dispute information which is unlikely to change.

For more information on addressing or updating information that appears on a Land Information Memorandum (LIM) from Auckland Council, visit our website. 

MIL OSI

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/03/20/understanding-aucklands-regional-flood-maps/

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Winston Peters meets Cook Island PM ‘informally’, but no deal on key issues

Source: Radio New Zealand

Cook Islands PM Mark Brown and New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters held an informal discussion at Peters’ private residence in Auckland on Friday, 20 March 2026  Supplied / Minister of Foreign Affairs

Winston Peters has met “informally” with Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown at Peters’ home in Auckland.

Four days ago, Peters’ office said they had no plans to meet Brown while he was in New Zealand.

In a joint statement, they said they discussed “fundamental challenges facing the New Zealand-Cook Islands relationship over the past 18 months” though there appeared to be no resolutions.

“Political dialogue between the two countries will continue in the coming weeks in order to determine whether these challenges can be resolved in the present circumstances,” it stated.

“In the meantime, the Governments of the Cook Islands and New Zealand will not be providing further comment.”

Christopher Luxon said on Thursday that he would not meet with Brown in any capacity, preferring to keep it between officials.

“I’m confident we’ll get to a good place in the end, we’ve made some good progress recently, but I’m going to let our officials handle that progress,” he said.

Addressing a room of dignitaries on Wednesday, Brown said his country was “growing in influence” globally on its “voyage of statehood”.

“Our desire to pursue our own policies and interests have been reflected in our growing participation on the international stage,” Brown told a room of dignitaries.

“There are times when we must pause and consider whether the conventions and evolved understanding between our freely associated states remain aligned … we find ourselves in such a moment.”

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/03/20/winston-peters-meets-cook-island-pm-informally-but-no-deal-on-key-issues/

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Auckland’s digital library – a story of growth, access, and community

Source: Auckland Council

Across Tāmaki Makaurau reading has quietly transformed. You can see it on the morning train where someone is listening to an audiobook, in a café where a student scrolls through an e magazine, at home where a parent downloads a picture book for bedtime, and during a late-night shift where someone finally gets a moment to read on their phone. The library is not only a place you visit – it’s something you carry with you.

The rise of e content has reshaped how Aucklanders connect with stories, learning, and information. As the collection continues to grow – over 800k items across three different platforms – there really is something for everyone and it’s free for all Aucklanders.

What makes this shift so powerful is how naturally it fits into the rhythm of modern life. People read when and where they can, and the digital library grows in response. As Aucklanders borrow more, the collection expands, creating a cycle of use and growth that reflects the habits of a busy, diverse city.

“We’re a city of readers and of extraordinary diversity,” says Deputy Mayor of Auckland, Desley Simpson.

“People of all ages, backgrounds, ethnicities, and abilities are embracing new ways to learn, explore, and connect. E content lets Aucklanders access stories and knowledge wherever they are, in the languages and formats that work for them. I think that’s just fantastic.

“Every digital checkout represents someone discovering a story, gaining knowledge, or finding joy. It shows who we are – a curious, multilingual, and connected city – and it’s something we should all be proud of,” says Deputy Mayor Simpson.

Digital borrowing has surged over the past five years, with strong, steady growth and record breaking use. Today, more than a third of all library loans in Auckland are digital – a higher share than in many comparable regions. Auckland now sits among the world’s major digital lending library systems with more than six million digital checkouts last year alone. On a global scale, we sit at number 11 for e-lending which puts us together with a small group of the very largest big city and regional library systems in the world – think Los Angeles, New York and Toronto!

In the past year alone, Aucklanders borrowed material in 36 different languages and children’s reading has climbed sharply – with a significant increase in digital checkouts over the past two years. Readers come from every Local Board area and represent at least 25 ethnic communities. The digital library has become a mirror of Auckland’s diversity, offering stories and information that speak to many cultures, ages, and experiences.

E content also removes barriers that physical libraries can’t always overcome. It supports people with vision impairments through screen reader compatibility, helps dyslexic readers with specialised fonts, and offers multilingual families access to books in their home languages. It serves roster workers who read at various hours, commuters who squeeze in a chapter on the go, and residents who live far from a physical outlet.

This shift has strengthened equity of access across the region. Aucklanders who might once have struggled to reach a library can now participate fully in reading and learning. The digital collection has become a vital part of service delivery, extending the reach of the library without the need for new buildings or physical infrastructure.
Ultimately, the rise of e content is a story about Auckland – one of the most diverse cities in the world and one whose people read widely and in many languages. Together we’re shaping a future where the library in Auckland is always open and always accessible.

Aucklanders can download the app here: https://www.aucklandlibraries.govt.nz/en/books-movies-audio/ecollections/ebooks.html
And/or sign up for a membership if you don’t already belong to the library: https://www.aucklandlibraries.govt.nz/en/join-the-library.html

MIL OSI

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/03/20/aucklands-digital-library-a-story-of-growth-access-and-community/

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Statement – Home support workers must be front of queue for fuel fix Nicola Willis – PSA

Source: PSA

The PSA is urging the Finance Minister to make 23,000 home support workers a priority when delivering urgent support to low income workers hit by sharply rising petrol prices.
Nicola Willis told media today she wants a ‘very targeted and temporary’ fix for those ‘acutely impacted’, adding she doesn’t want to see a situation where ‘people can’t drive to work.’
“We agree with Nicola Willis – and home support workers should be at the front of the queue – and right now there’s a fast, ready fix available that could be done today by raising their mileage allowance,” said Fleur Fitzsimons, National Secretary for the Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi.
The Finance Minister is seeking advice from Inland Revenue and Treasury about using the tax and transfer system to deliver support – tax credits under Working for Families or the Independent Earner Tax Credit. But neither may help many home support workers.
“These workers drive their own cars between clients every day, and are the only publicly funded workers required to do so with such a miserable mileage reimbursement. They have no choice but to drive and rising petrol prices are hitting them directly in the pocket with every shift.
“But there’s a simple, fast fix right now for these essential workers. The Home and Community Support (Payment for Travel Between Clients) Settlement Act 2016 requires Health NZ Te Whatu Ora to pay a mileage rate to these workers. The Health Minister can direct that rate to be lifted immediately, no complicated fiddling with the tax and transfer system required, no delay, just fast, real help.”
The allowance was last adjusted four years ago so should be being reviewed right now.
Fleur Fitzsimons said: “These are low-paid, predominantly female workers providing critical care to elderly and disabled New Zealanders. If the Government is serious about protecting working people from the fuel crisis, it can today deliver the support they need right now.
“The PSA urges the Government to do the right thing by these workers, today. They can’t afford to wait.”
Previous statement
The Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi is Aotearoa New Zealand’s largest trade union, representing and supporting more than 95,000 workers across central government, state-owned enterprises, local councils, health boards and community groups.

MIL OSI

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/03/20/statement-home-support-workers-must-be-front-of-queue-for-fuel-fix-nicola-willis-psa/

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Recognition – Safeguarding Children wins New Zealand Community of the Year 2026

Source: Safeguarding Children

A nationwide movement that has trained more than 93,000 advocates to recognise and respond early to signs of child abuse has been awarded the Mitre 10 New Zealand Community of the Year 2026.

Safeguarding Children CEO Willow Duffy accepted the award at the Kiwibank New Zealander of the Year Awards ceremony, reflecting on how the initiative has grown to have far-reaching impact around Aotearoa after starting “as an idea over a cup of coffee with three nurses and a detective.”

“Recognising that the rates of child abuse in New Zealand was one of the biggest public health issues, we put this idea together that we could inspire people to speak up for children, do the best for them and take steps to protect our tamariki not just in their homes but in their communities and places children go,” Duffy said.

Duffy said what continues to motivate her are the harrowing stories of child abuse, such as those from The Abuse in Care, Royal Commission of Inquiry, and firsthand accounts where the opportunities for adults to step in and prevent abuse are strikingly apparent, yet not taken.

“Protecting our precious taonga, our nation’s tamariki, is everyone’s responsibility. Safeguarding Children will continue to advocate for better safeguards to prevent abuse in New Zealand, as well as equip people with the knowledge and tools to step in and do the right thing.”

Duffy said she is humbled by the recognition the award brings. “The team behind the initiative make me so proud every day. We are supported by an incredible voluntary board who work so hard to give their time and make it happen, and sponsors who donate so we can do this work.

“Thank you, from the bottom of my heart.”

Duffy said she hopes the recognition will help draw further attention to New Zealand’s shocking record of child abuse and support calls for change. “It requires a collective response from all levels to prevent abuse and create change for our vulnerable tamariki. Our work is far from done.”

 

About Safeguarding Children:  

Safeguarding Children’s vision is for the children and young people of Aotearoa New Zealand to be safe from abuse and neglect. 

 

Safeguarding Children is a registered charity and a leading provider of safeguarding and child protection education and guidance in New Zealand. It has trained over 50,000 New Zealanders on how to implement prevention measures within their organisations, work with vulnerable families and children, and recognise and respond to child abuse and neglect. Safeguarding Children believes a proactive, preventative approach produces the best outcomes for children, organisations and staff. It offers a range of services to suit the needs of any individual or organisation that works with children and young people. 

MIL OSI

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/03/20/recognition-safeguarding-children-wins-new-zealand-community-of-the-year-2026/

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Auckland resident contests council’s ‘broad brush model’ for flooding designations

Source: Radio New Zealand

The council publishes multiple different flood maps, which provide broad information about flood risks across the city. Auckland Council

An Auckland homeowner disputes her property is flood-prone, despite it being designated as such on Auckland Council’s online maps.

The council publishes multiple different flood maps, which provide broad information about flood risks across the city.

Stephanie Burgess said the council’s flood modelling used a “broad brush model”, but it had a real impact on value of her Glendowie property and other properties in those areas.

Auckland Council’s flood mapping was based off aerial Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) from 2016, which did not accurately reflect the real risk on her land, she said.

“There’s never been any flooding at my property. It requires a pipe to block and a 100-year flood to both happen together.”

The flood-prone marking from the Auckland council maps she had seen was not yet on her Land Information Memorandum (LIM) report, but she was concerned it would be, she added.

Auckland Council’s natural hazard map designates half of Stephanie Burgess’s Glendowie property as flood-prone. Auckland Council

Looking to sell her house, she was worried by the impact this flood-prone designation would have.

“I’m fearful that our property will be devalued because a lot of buyers will not be interested, because they see this notation.”

She was also concerned that people did not understand the difference between a flood-prone area and a flood plane, and the different risk levels between them.

Working in real estate, she said some people would not even enter the open home if there was flood notation on the LIM.

She was calling for the council to factor in site-specific information to more accurately represent the flood risk at properties in designated flood-prone areas.

“I’d like a letter that I can give to buyers that explains the real risk.”

‘Literally within centimetres’

Auckland Council head of planning networks Nick Vigar said the councils across the country were working to provide better information about flood risks, but contested the claim that LiDAR was not an accurate measurement.

“Modern LiDAR is getting within centimetres on your property. Yes, it makes some assumptions where there’s trees and where there’s buildings, but it’s literally within centimetres.”

It was, to an extent, “broad brush”, he conceded, but it was the best information the council had.

“If you want to go and develop your house you should absolutely get someone to come in and survey it accurately,” he said.

The council assessment was only based on the land, so flood mitigation work would generally not be acknowledged in its data, Vigar said.

“If there’s some mitigation in which the landform is changed then, next time we run the LiDAR, that will get brought into the model. But I think the important thing here is: its triggering an assessment of the house on the property.”

The flood-prone designation would need to appear on the LIM report, he said.

“If you get a LIM on that property then you have to understand if there’s one of these triggers across you property … because you need to understand that if you’re developing, the presence of one of those will trigger a flood risk assessment.”

He acknowledged that using decade-old LiDAR was not necessarily fair, but said new data had been gathered in 2024 and would soon be available.

That data was already being applied to landowners who had contested their designation, he said.

“Where we have more accurate information in the new LiDAR, we have inserted it for customers already.”

But getting a property survey would not remove the flood-prone overlay from Burgess’s property, Vigar said.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/03/20/auckland-resident-contests-councils-broad-brush-model-for-flooding-designations/