Making New Zealand

Who we are

 

We are a group of New Zealanders with a variety of backgrounds whose personal focus is on good urban design and planning policy in New Zealand. Closely related to this is New Zealand's housing affordability problem, now a well known problem that the public at large are aware of. Housing affordability has key disciplines that directly impact on it - that of land-use economics, transportation (and transportation modes), infrastructure financing and political considerations with respect to Council policy. We believe that long term solutions which are the most affordable should form the foundation to respond to certain ideologies prevalent today.

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We receive no funding from any business, Government-funded organisation or department or charity in New Zealand or overseas. All time spent is 100% provided free of charge by volunteers.

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This site features articles from individual contributors by way of recognising we bring different perspectives, knowledge and experience to the areas of housing, land-use economics, transport and affordability.

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Matthew Webster, Phil Hayward, Don Brash, Andrew Atkin, Dushko Bogunovich, Phil McDermott, Dale Smith, Donald Ellis, Jon Maplesden, David Lupton and others in our personal capacity are associated with this endeavour. We can be contacted through our email address: makingnewzealand@gmail.com.

 

Why We do this

 

Our desire is to see housing affordability and related services - transport links, employment and health - accessible by ALL New Zealanders, regardless of their income. We are especially concerned with those individuals and families on low and middle incomes who find themselves unable to buy a home, whether they choose an intensive or more dispersed style for themselves, despite their realistic aims and prudent approach to their personal financial affairs.

 

What We can do for you

 

This site serves to contribute to the debate and, where needed, advocate for certain solutions toward Local and Central Government - both elected bodies and the professional officers (e.g. out of many possibilities, the Reserve Bank or Council Strategic functions), about the effects of current urban policy in some of our major cities. It also seeks to correct some of the discourse with an evidence-based approach, often supplemented by academic papers published both in New Zealand and overseas.

 

We want to provide you with well-written articles and critiques of what we see is wrong with current approaches to Urban planning in New Zealand, as well as drawing attention to sometimes little known facts about best practice overseas that works. We cannot provide individual advice for your situation.