A new ‘City Deal’ signed by Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown has been heralded as a long-term plan for the city’s growth, but Pacific leaders and local councillors are warning it offers little more than promises without any immediate funding or concrete action.
The agreement, signed on Friday, establishes a framework for central and local government to collaborate on Auckland’s housing, infrastructure, and employment challenges. While South Auckland has been identified as a key area for future development, those representing the community say the deal lacks the substance needed to make a difference on the ground today.
The signing follows the earlier announcement of a Government and Auckland Council city deal, intended to streamline planning and investment. However, with no new money allocated and no clear timelines or targets, many are questioning what will change for communities already under pressure.</p>} Aliaxis:call:insert_cross_link{paragraph_index:0,rewritten_paragraph:
Deal signed but details scarce
Manukau ward councillor Lotu Fuli says that while the partnership is welcome, residents should not expect to see tangible benefits any time soon. She says the document is an agreement to work together, not a commitment to specific projects or funding.
“It’s nice to have at this stage, but there’s nothing in it in terms of money. There’s no promises being made from the government in terms of that,” Fuli says. “In real terms and in reality, we won’t see the benefits of it straight away. In terms of tangible outcomes, there’s nothing actually that we’re going to get very tangible.”
Fuli describes the deal as a starting point and a plan on paper, focused on the future rather than addressing immediate needs. For South Auckland, a region experiencing rapid population growth that is straining roads, public transport, and housing, this delay is a significant concern. The challenges of managing infrastructure are universal, with cities around the world, like those in the United States, also grappling with aging systems and funding shortfalls.
The real test, Fuli says, will be whether the agreement can be used to secure much-needed investment from Wellington. “We can hopefully work more in partnership going into the future to open up the purse strings of central government, which are much, much bigger than council’s.”
Government points to long-term benefits
The government maintains that the benefits of a coordinated approach will become evident over time. Infrastructure Minister Chris Bishop says the deal will unlock growth and create significant opportunities, particularly for South Auckland.
“In terms of South Auckland, there’s big benefits for the people of South Auckland as a result of this,” he said. “Identifying the airport precinct as a growth area of an employment hub and where we’re going to coordinate around the infrastructure and the development there is important and that is a major employment base in South Auckland for example.”
Bishop also pointed to Drury as a key future growth area and highlighted ongoing work by Kāinga Ora in Māngere, including upgrades to stormwater, wastewater, and housing, as examples of projects that will now fall under the collaborative framework of the City Deal.
Mana whenua call for equitable development
Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei deputy chair Ngarimu Blair acknowledged that better alignment between central and local government was a positive step. However, he cautioned that the deal’s ultimate success will be measured by its ability to deliver fair and equitable outcomes for Māori and Pacific peoples, not just by the development it unlocks.
“An announcement like today goes a step in that direction, in that it’s very focused on trying to unlock what we already know as the tangata whenua, the amazing geography and natural resources of our wider Auckland region and trying to ensure that there is that development so that it can be shared around more,” he said. “And that’s probably the next challenge, is to ensure that that economic development is more equitable.”
Blair revealed that while mana whenua were consulted on the deal’s direction, they held no formal decision-making power. He set a clear benchmark for what success should look like for his community.
If there are no more economic developments created, if wages don't increase, if work and employment and career opportunities don't increase for our Māori and Pasifika people, then this would be an abject failure.
A legacy of promises
For many Pacific families in Auckland, government promises are often viewed with a healthy dose of scepticism, born from past experiences. The call for tangible action is deeply rooted in a history where policy has had profound and lasting impacts on the community.
During the 1970s, the infamous ‘Dawn Raids’ saw police, instructed by the government, raid the homes of Pacific families in the early hours to find and deport those who had overstayed their work visas. This policy, described by some as "blatantly racist", targeted a community that had been encouraged to migrate to New Zealand to fill labour shortages in the preceding decades.
According to research from the Ministry for Culture and Heritage, the raids created a legacy of fear and mistrust between Pacific peoples and government authorities. This historical context illuminates why today’s leaders are so insistent on seeing concrete commitments. For these communities, a deal based on promises is not enough; the true measure will be in the delivery of better jobs, higher wages, and real opportunities.
A non-binding agreement for the future
Mayor Wayne Brown has emphasised that the deal is intended to work for every Aucklander. “The idea is that this is so that we can represent every sector of Auckland, not just the ones that vote National,” he said. “When I’m the Mayor of Auckland, I’m the Mayor of the Pasifika people, I’m the Mayor of the Māori people, I’m the Mayor of the Chinese people, the Indian people and the white people.”
He also stressed his personal connection to the south, adding, “What’s good for the people of South Auckland is that there’s a lot of South Auckland in me, and you know that.”
While the deal is not a legally binding contract, Councillor Fuli believes it can still serve as a valuable tool for accountability. “It’s not a binding contract,” she confirmed. “It’s just like a deal and understanding. But at least we’ve got something that we can fall back on and say, ‘hey, look, you signed this, we signed this.’”
Ultimately, the onus may fall on the public to ensure the deal’s promises are kept. As Ngarimu Blair noted, the next steps are up to the people of Auckland to hold their elected officials to account. “At the end of the day, people have to exercise their democratic right,” he said.
