Media Release
August 13, 2009

Waitakere delivers employment and economic growth

Waitakere businesses contributed an estimated $4.2 billion to the Auckland economy in 2008 – 6.6 percent of the region’s total gross domestic product (GDP).

The findings, which also indicate steady growth in local employment, are among details released this week in Waitakere City Council’s economic performance report, Waitakere Business and Economy 2008.

It also shows that employment opportunities in Waitakere have steadily grown in the past decade with an average annual increase of two percent.

There are now 15,500 businesses providing around 49,100 full time equivalent employment (FTE) positions in the city – equating to 7.7 % of positions in the Auckland region. This represents a 20% increase in jobs since 1998 when Waitakere provided 40,476 FTEs.

The report outlines the city’s economic performance over the past decade and its story is one of contrasts.

“In the 10 years to 2008, the city’s overall economic performance outpaced its population growth, which rose at an annual rate of 1.8% a year,” says Deputy Mayor Cr Penny Hulse.

The value of local production (local GDP) grew by an average of 2.5 percent a year and business unit growth of an average of 3.1 percent annually.

The retail and distribution, social and business service sectors have led the way in employment opportunities and local production in the past decade with 27 percent of the people employed in Waitakere businesses working in the retail and distribution sector.

In 2008, FTE opportunities rose in the social and recreation services and distribution sectors while the primary, construction, business services and manufacturing sectors all experienced downturns.
However like the rest of the world, the economic fortunes of Waitakere have fluctuated in recent years.

The city’s economy slowed down in 2008, partly reflecting the effects of the global recession currently affecting the whole country.

The report notes that business growth in Waitakere has often been constrained by the shortage of land suitable for relatively large businesses but over the past decade the council has taken the initiative to address this issue.

“Planned changes to the Metropolitan Urban Limit will add approximately 200 hectares of greenfield business land in strategic growth areas between Westgate and Hobsonville, which once developed, will provided significant employment and business opportunities for the region in years to come,“ says Cr Hulse.

The council plays a major role in promoting economic activity and development in the city through its support of the economic development agency Waitakere Enterprise and in the areas of business partnership, advocacy, community development and investing in infrastructure.

“There are several projects underway in this city that will have a significant impact on the economic viability of the west and the entire Auckland region,” says Cr Hulse.

She says the revitalisation of New Lynn town centre, which includes creating a new integrated transport hub, will create thousands of jobs in the future.

Background:
• Waitakere is the fifth largest city in New Zealand in terms of population, now estimated at 192,300. This represents 13.4 % of the population in the Auckland region and 4.7% of the whole country.

ENDS

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