MINUTES OF AUCKLAND BRANCH TRAINING AND NETWORKING EVENT
Time & Date: 4:00pm, 17 April 2024
Room: N/A
Location: Online via Teams
Welcome:
Branch Chair for the evening, Daniel Harrison welcomed all the members online and introduced the guest presenter Gary Blick, Chief Economist at Auckland Council.
Attendance:
Jonathan Abiva, Anthulya Antony, Timothy Ball Chant'e Bellve, Ellip Behera, Catherine Bish, Joseph Burdett, Harish Chand, Lesley Chen, Debra Christensen, Leanne Davies, Jeff Fahrensohn, Richard Fromont, Jharana Ghimire, Ian Godfrey, Brent Goldschmidt, Violeta Gonzalez, Daniel Harrison, Christina Hibbard, Susan Holmes, Amin Izadkhah, Ted Jones, Richard Kaggwa, Louie Kang, Parth Kapadiya, Jean Keay, Kyle Kim, Joe Kuan, Asnita Kumar, Jimmy Li, Scott McBeth, Paul Moodie, Steven Noakes, Lynda Owen, Loretta Parker, Robert Paton, Alan Perich, Willand Pineda, Dolly Shah, Russell Shaw, Parveen Singh, John Tagiilima, Pierre Van Zyl, Danica Vercoe, Boris Veza, Tanu Virdi, Xin Xu Mayannje Young, James Zhao, Tian Zhao
Apologies:
Hasan Shueb
Moved: Jean Keay
Guests:
Gary Blick, Chief Economist, Auckland Council
Previous Minutes:
Meeting minutes were issued, read and accurate.
Moved: Catherine Bish & Christina Hibbard
Matters Arising:
N/A
Correspondence In/Out:
Annual Conference – Next month!
the Annual Conference is next month 20-22 May, and they look forward to seeing you there.
2024 Building Controls Essentials Handbook
The 2024 Building Controls Essentials Handbook is now available for purchase via the website shop. It contains up to date legislation and a new case study replacing the 2022 edition.
Board Elections
The call for nominations for the board elections has been extended, the new nomination
closing date is now 4pm on Friday 19 April 2024.
General Business:
- New Members
Nothing raised.
Board Representative Update:
Nothing raised.
Building Code Issues:
Nothing raised.
Guest Presentation:
Gary Blick, Chief Economist at Auckland Council highlighted the current economic context with emphasis on interest rates and inflation trends.
Member enquiries covered housing pipelines, project viability amid high-interest rates, and completion rates of consents for new homes within four years.
A concern was raised about potential project delays, leading to stagnant developments.
Insights on building apartment buildings under current conditions and future interest rate adjustments based on inflation data were requested.
Gary provided responses, emphasizing market segments for viable projects despite challenges like high-interest rates.
The meeting transitioned smoothly into interactive Q&A sessions focusing on project delays, construction complexities, and market viability indicators for different property types.
Attendees engaged in dynamic exchanges seeking clarity on industry trends influenced by macroeconomic factors such as interest rate projections. Gary highlighted the impact of the Unitary Plan on housing development and affordability in Auckland, highlighting the shift towards mixed-density developments.
Discussions extended to comparing Auckland's housing situation with other regions, showcasing improvements in supply but acknowledging ongoing affordability challenges.
Attendees raised further questions regarding land use trade-offs, environmental concerns related to urban expansion, and comparisons between Auckland's housing market dynamics and national trends. Evaluating costs versus benefits in policy decisions to address shortages effectively and maintaining sustainability principles were underscored as essential considerations for comprehensive decision-making.
Next Branch Training and Networking Event:
TBC.
Special thank you to:
Gary Blick for taking the time to present to us.
Daniel Harrison closed the meeting at 5:31pm
Daniel Harrison
Auckland Branch Secretary
daniel.harrisonace@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz
