The New Dawning for Auckland and Te Hana

What makes a city or a place flourish? This is essentially the question governments, policy makers, planners and even citizens alike seek solutions and answers for.  This is the basic underlying question of all plans ever written. One such plan is the ongoing construction of the new Auckland Plan (that is currently under discussion, and set to be adopted by the end of the year 2011) . Why do such plans exist? There are essentially three things: people, people and people (of the past, the present and the future), as the well known Maori proverb echoes in Mayor Len Brown’s foreword in the Auckland Plan Discussion Document that states: “This is where the potential of Auckland lies -in its communities and in its people”.

The Mayor’s vision of Auckland is “to be the world’s most liveable city”. Auckland includes the people of Te Hana/ Oruawharo, a community, who despite having been displaced from the divisive governance in the past, is fighting for their rights.

A week after our Te Hana trip Mayor Len Brown visited Te Hana. Here are some of the news clippings in relation to his visit.

What Auckland Plan Poses for Te Hana Te Ao Marama

To become the world’s most liveable city, first, town centres, urban and rural villages within the region has to be liveable. This vision underpins eight key goals. These are the Auckland Plan proposed goals:
•Put children and young people first, 
•Outward looking global city with a productive high economy supported by a world class international city centre, 
•Auckland that acknowledges and acts on the special place of Mana Whenua, 
•A place of diverse, dynamic, safe, secure and accessible communities, sustainable lifestyle with high and rising quality of life for all Aucklanders, 
•An open and welcoming place that is attractive to investors, skilled workers and tourists which encourages international events, 
•A destination recognised world-wide for its pre-eminent rural, natural and marine setting, 
•A place enabled by world class infrastructure and supporting services
•A beautiful Auckland everyone is proud of.

These goals can be used as pegs for the Te Hana Community to be to be staged in the Draft Spatial Plan, as a way of building relationships with the local boards and Auckland council, and strengthening the realisation of their vision for their community.