Wayne Brown has long campaigned for a bed tax on visitors to help fund destination marketing and events. Photo: 123RF
Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown is asking the government to reconsider its opposition to a bed night levy, during what he says are tough times for the city.
Brown has long campaigned for a bed tax on visitors to help fund destination marketing and events.
In a statement, he told RNZ he supported Auckland Business Chamber chief executive Simon Bridges' call for the government to do more for the economy.
"There is no reason why the government couldn't make a bed night levy an urgent priority and have it in place by next year. The sector wants it, and so do most Aucklanders.
"Auckland contributes nearly 40 percent to GDP. When Auckland does well, the country does well.
"An unemployment rate of 6.1 percent for the largest city is bad for the rest of New Zealand. It's nearly twice the national average and a sign growth isn't happening fast enough."
He said his 2025 manifesto highlighted other key opportunities for growth in the city's technology, housing and tourism sectors.
Wayne Brown. Photo: RNZ / Marika Khabazi
"The underlying problem is that we have a low-productivity economy, and we aren't exporting enough to the world. I've already outlined a plan for Auckland to lead New Zealand on a path to prosperity.
"I recently kicked off the Auckland Innovation & Technology Alliance to drive investment to strengthen Auckland's position as a competitive tech and innovation hub. I thank Shane Reti for also establishing a new Advanced Tech Institute here in Auckland.
"I'm working closely with Chris Bishop to make land use in Auckland more efficient so that we can enable faster growth. I acknowledge that removing the barriers to innovation and incentivising businesses to invest more in technology will take a bit longer. This is the key to fixing our economy.
"However, an immediate stimulus would be provided by the introduction of a nationally consistent bed night levy to help us grow the visitor economy here and all over the country."
Councillor Kerrin Leoni, who was going against Brown in the city's upcoming mayoral election, said she supported a bed tax.
"Regardless of who is going to be the next government, I will definitely be pushing that."
But she said it was not enough to help the city's economy.
"There's no vision for the city if you're just focusing on a bed night levy.
"There's no guarantee that we're going to get that, and he has been trying to push for that for the last three years and has had no luck."
Leoni believed it was "pointless" for Brown to make that his primary policy for his economic development for Auckland.
"It makes me think our city will have no future if Wayne Brown is re-elected as mayor."
Leoni announced her fiscal policy plan on Tuesday, which included calling for the government to return the GST it charges on rates to the council.
The idea had previously been suggested by former Auckland mayor, Phil Goff.
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