We don't hold conferences. We build the record.
The City Builders Association operates in the gap between municipal bureaucracy and community urgency, through verified expertise, structured questions, and formal advocacy.
From question to public record, in four steps.
Frame the Question
A specific, researchable question about Auckland's infrastructure or governance is framed as an answerable question and published openly, free to read, free to share.
Gather Evidence
Verified members contribute evidence privately. Names are attached only with consent on the final publication. Merit, not noise, shapes the record.
Build the Record
The explainer and its member-backed conclusions are compiled into a clear, structured public record that decision-makers can actually use.
Submit & Advocate
The finished record is formally submitted to Auckland Council, Waka Kotahi, or the relevant government body as public, accountable advocacy.
We don't hold conferences. We build the record Auckland's decision-makers should be reading.
The City Builders Association is Auckland's merit-based civic think tank, turning complex infrastructure decisions into structured public debate. We operate in the gap between municipal bureaucracy and community urgency, through verified expertise, structured questions, and formal advocacy submitted to Auckland Council, Waka Kotahi, and the relevant government bodies.
We operate in the gap between municipal bureaucracy and community urgency. Through verified expertise, structured questions, and formal advocacy submitted to Auckland Council and Waka Kotahi, we turn opaque decisions into answerable public record.
What are the priority transport projects for the next 50 years?
Read the full report →A Decade of Rates & Debt
For ten years Auckland Council has lifted rates faster than wages while accumulating debt to fund the city's growth. The charted record below tracks the annual rates rise applied to both residential and commercial properties, and the council group's rising net debt over the same period.
Cumulative rise · residential / commercial
Latest residential rise (2026/27)
Group net debt (2024/25)
Debt growth in a decade
Annual rates rise · residential & commercial
- residential
- commercial
Council group net debt · $ billion
The burden has shifted. While the annual rise applies to both sectors, the commercial share of total rates collected fell from roughly 32.8% in 2015/16 to 25.8% by 2025/26 under the council's rates-transition policy - meaning residential households now carry a larger slice of a larger bill.
Figures compiled from Auckland Council Long-Term Plans, Annual Plans and Group Annual Reports (2015-2025). Indicative.