28 September 2005
Auckland City Move To Set Up A “One Stop Shop” To Fast-Track Events – “A Useful First Step”
Making it easier for Auckland City to promote and host events is a useful step for lifting the region’s profile, said
Michael Barnett, Chamber of Commerce chief executive.
With a population of more than a million people, the region has the potential to be New Zealand’s events capital, and
competing with Australia’s major cities for global events to be held in this part of the world.
“Auckland’s City’s decision to set up ‘one stop shop’ to help fast-track events and simplify resource consent issues is
exactly the kind of approach the region needs to take,” said Mr Barnett.
“We need to follow this initiative up with a region-wide strategy.” To maximise the benefit of the City’s initiative, Mr
Barnett noted that the Chamber of Commerce has proposed that a full analysis be undertaken of the region’s event
infrastructure matched against the types of international events the region might like to seek to host.
“If we are to host world sporting contests and international conferences and exhibitions, we need to make sure that we
have the required events stadium and support structures that can be used to help promote our hosting them,” he said.
ENDS