2026 could be Auckland’s year. As a proud Aucklander who has called this city home for over a decade, I’m filled with a sense of hopeful optimism. With an extended list of projects either set to be finished, such as the City Rail Link and the International Convention Centre, or will begin, like the roof for the Mānuka Doctor Tennis Centre, our city has the potential to be buzzing with energy.
Business Press 2024-25
From cubicles to condos: Auckland’s office conversion opportunity
Temu and Shein come at cost of local businesses - association
Empty shop fronts and for lease signs are a call to action for consumers to buy local. That is the message from the Parnell Business Association, nestled in one of Auckland’s oldest shopping precincts, with a mix of eateries and boutique shops. In a recent opinion piece, the general manager of the Parnell Business Association said that online platforms like Temu and Shein come at a cost to working local businesses. Cheryl Adamson spoke to Lisa Owen.
SMEs say yes to Budget’s Investment Boost encouraging them to buy plant and tech
Brad Jacobs, director of The Coffee Club and chair of the Parnell Business Association, has endorsed the Budget’s Investment Boost.
The fact that the Government called this the Growth Budget was encouraging, says Jacobs.
“Twelve months ago it felt like everyone was standing on the edge of the cliff joining hands and getting ready to jump and now they are ready to be positive,” he says.
We need to stop and consider how, when and where we spend
Unless you’ve been living under a rock this year, you’ll probably be aware things aren’t quite normal, both in New Zealand and overseas. Many of us are on edge and uncertain about what the future holds for us and future generations. This isn’t the first time we’ve faced economic uncertainty, and it won’t be the last.
While affordable alternatives are tempting, local businesses bring more to the table, offering more value that an overseas package simply cannot. Businesses such as the Fantail House in Parnell offer the opportunity to connect with a large selection of artisan-made products before they’re bought and create a genuine retail experience, allowing consumers to understand stories of provenance.
How well is your business association supporting you to survive and thrive?
If you are moving your business to a new area or town, one of the first things you should do before signing a lease is to check out the local business association to see how supportive they are of existing and incoming businesses.
A good business association will help small businesses with their profile when they first arrive and beyond, says PBA General Manager Cheryl Adamson. In Parnell, they will be welcomed and introduced by the business association online, to all the other local businesses, says Adamson, who sends out regular emails to the network.
Paying it forward: The Kiwis who made good in tech and are now backing a new generation of start-ups
Meet some of the Kiwi tech stars who are ‘paying it forward’. After making it good on the global technology scene, they’re helping others get on the ladder of business success.
Sir Peter Beck has helped line up financial backing for a string of start-ups through his role as an investment committee member of Auckland venture capital firm Outset Ventures and his own funds.
He’s often been the first on board—playing an “angel” investor role in companies’ crucial make-or-break early days, then chipped in more money as a firm develops—often using his connections to help draw in other investors too.
New Science, Innovation, and Technology Minister Shane Reti must embrace innovation to boost economy
New year, new me seems to be the approach of our Government, with the Prime Minister shuffling Cabinet positions in the name of growth.
While the focus has rightly been on health and transport, it feels as though we’ve been quick to assume that Shane Reti has been “demoted” by taking on the science, innovation, and technology portfolio.
It’s time for both the Government and New Zealand as a society to start seeing the technology portfolio as one of ever-growing importance, with the capability to drive the long-term growth we so desire.
Auckland's hospitality sector, rebuilding the buzz
For those in hospitality and retail, this summer brings an extra layer of pressure, not just from the usual holiday rush, but from the need to recover from an exceptionally challenging year.
Auckland's Local wisdom is the key to building a world-class city
The value of lived experience is unquestionable. Applying that lens to the city of Auckland, one could conclude it has yet to fulfil its potential and that it’s struggling to progress beyond being an awkward teenager. On an international scale, Auckland feels like a hesitant kid, lacking in confidence – unclear on what direction to take in life.
When will we leave the funk behind? Parnell businesses frustrated by smell
More than six long months ago, parts of Parnell were enveloped by an unwelcomed, putrid smell, as a combination of old pipes, intense rainfall and creaking technology resulted in the target now well-known “Parnell Sinkhole” or Ōrākei main sewer collapse.
While it has made curious reading for many, our local businesses and residents are continuing to experience the frustrations of outdated infrastructure, first-hand and on a daily basis.
Parnell lodge fire: Business association previously raised concerns about residents’ activities
The Parnell Business Association says one of the area’s biggest sources of crime comes from the “range and proliferation” of supported accommodation.
General manager Cheryl Adamson said the City Garden Lodge, which was badly damaged in a fire on Sunday, is one of two providers located in close proximity that initially offered emergency accommodation and more recently transitional accommodation.
Socialising at all hours: Parnell businesses, residents complain over lodges
The Parnell Business Association says one of the area’s biggest sources of crime comes from the “range and proliferation” of supported accommodation.
General manager Cheryl Adamson said the City Garden Lodge, which was badly damaged in a fire on Sunday, is one of two providers located in close proximity that initially offered emergency accommodation and more recently transitional accommodation.
She said issues with the providers were exacerbated by the accommodation being nearby and a fair degree of “socialising” happening between residents “at all hours”.
“The brunt of which is felt by the neighbours.”
Parnell businesses seek support in dealing with ‘disruptive’ Kāinga Ora tenants
The Parnell Business Association wants more to be done to address what it says is a sharp rise in crime and disorderly behaviour, linked to nearby Kainga Ora tenants. It’s written to Housing Minister Chris Bishop and former Prime Minister Sir Bill English who’s leading a review into the agency.
General Manager Cheryl Adamson says that in the last 6-8 months they’ve seen an uptick in the number of disruptive tenants in the area.
Parnell Business Association complains about criminal behaviour by Kāinga Ora tenants, agency hits back
Parnell businesses have complained about tenants from state housing agency Kāinga Ora committing criminal behaviour, citing robberies, intimidation and wilful damage.
But the Crown agency says it is up to the police and justice system to deal with incidents of crime and that it hasn’t had any complaints from the local business lobby group.
Parnell Business Owners blame crime wave on Kāinga Ora tenants
An Auckland business group says unruly behaviour from Kāinga Ora tenants in the area have gone unchecked.
The Parnell Business Association says more than 40 incidents, ranging from robbery to intimidation, were recorded last November and December. The association said it was able to directly link the incidents to people residing in Kāinga Ora apartments.
General manager Cheryl Adamson has written to the government, saying something needs to be done.
Robberies, vandalism, intimidation: Parnell Business Owners call on Govt to do more about Kāinga Ora tenants
The Parnell Business Association has called on the Government to do more to address the sharp rise in crime and disorderly behaviour associated with Kāinga Ora tenants in the area. In a formal letter presented to Housing Minister Chris Bishop and former Prime Minister Sir Bill English, Parnell Business Association general manager Cheryl Adamson outlines a spate of unruly and criminal behaviour caused by tenants living in the Craycroft and Bedford apartments.
