Grey Power Supports Call For Possible Royal Commission Enquiry Into Auckland Future Ethnicity Changes and Population Growth

Speaking at the Population Association Conference in Auckland Professor Charles Crothers of Auckland University of Technology outlined a major shift of the ethnicity of Auckland with the European population shrinking from 66% of all Aucklanders in 2006 to possibly 36% in 2051, and suggested a possible Royal Commission enquiry into the social impact and issues arising from such change.

The percentage of the Asian population living in Auckland could rise from the 19% of 2006 to 36% by 2051, with the Maori and Pacific ethnicities could rise from 25% to 29% across the same period.

Some variation in these projections were probable as 10% of people in the 2006 Census had more than one ethnicity.

The Auckland Council’s Draft Auckland Plan for 2040 allows for a population increase of approx 700,000 to reach 2.2 – 2.5 million over the next thirty years.

The Plan’s projected ethnicity changes reflect a potentially more rapid change than Professor Crothers’ outline with the European population of the City dropping to 53% and Asian Aucklanders rising to 27% in the next ten years to 2021.

Professor Crothers stated the issues arising from such changes needed more study, and suggested there could be a Royal Commission enquiry on them.

“Grey Power fully supports more study and discussion on these major changes to Auckland’s makeup and has asked the Auckland Council to more clearly define their policy on the changes, and to have a Population Policy Forum for general public input before final planning decisions are made, “ said Bill Rayner, Zone Director, Grey Power Auckland Region.

“The core issues are beyond the Councils’ direct control and a while a full Royal Commission may not be appropriate it is important that the national Government develops a strategic population policy for New Zealand, and the Auckland Plan could be a catalyst for this.”

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