Auckland’s supercity: where did the promised savings go?
ANALYSIS: As the debate over amalgamation in other parts of New Zealand re-emerges, Auckland’s experience provides a timely case study.
Philip BarrySun, 14 Sep 2025
Fifteen years ago, Aucklanders were told that amalgamation of their local councils into a single ‘supercity’ would deliver efficiency, reduce duplication, and cut costs. The theory was simple: one streamlined council should spend less than eight separate ones.
