Mapping the changing face of Auckland

The effects of population mobility and an aging population on issues such as labour supply, community development and a sense of belonging will all be investigated in a two year research project headed by Professor Paul Spoonley, and funded by an $800,000 grant from the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment Science.

The project, Nga Tangata Oho Mairangi, will map the regional impacts of demographic and economic change on Auckland and other regions from 1986 to 2013, and will provide projections out to 2036.

Professor Spoonley says New Zealand is experiencing significant population changes as mobility (immigration, emigration and internal migration) combine with an aging population to influence issues such as the future size and nature of labour supply, community development (including growth and decline) and a sense of belonging and engagement both locally and nationally. These demographic changes vary considerably by region and have markedly different outcomes for rural and urban communities.

“The last two decades have seen some major changes to New Zealand’s demography – including the effect of immigration on cultural diversity and historic high levels of emigration – and these will combine with population ageing in the coming decade to produce further changes,” Professor Spoonley says.

“It is important that we understand these changes and how they impact on matters such as employment, and economic or population growth in particular regions and cities,” he says.

The study will ask householders, employers and secondary school pupils about their experiences and understanding of the changes taking place within their communities. This will be combined with population modelling to understand what trends we are likely to see.

Five other Massey projects received funding from the ministry, with research contracts taking effect from October and lasting for between two and six years.