Polarising views over report citing private sector's struggle to attract people to Wellington

Friday, 17 July 2020

The “coolest little capital” or an expensive big city? It depends who you ask in Wellington.

The “coolest little capital”, or a money-draining big city with crumbling infrastructure?

Wellingtonians have not been short of an opinion on the subject, following a report quoting private sector representatives saying they were having major trouble attracting skilled workers to the city.

Housing costs were seen as a major deterrent for people considering moving to Wellington, according to a business sector report.

The reality is probably somewhere in the middle, but debate on social media since the report was publicised in a Stuff article a week ago has drawn out some polarising views.

Gemma Freeman and husband Rollo Wenlock chose Christchurch over Wellington when they moved back to New Zealand from Portland, US.

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The report detailed gripes over expensive housing, perceptions of significant infrastructure problems, and stalled projects like the drawn-out Let’s Get Wellington Moving transport programme.

With the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic also taking hold, industry leaders called on the council to help retain and attract skilled workers and jobs, and promote the city in a positive light.

The findings certainly resonated with returning Kiwi Gemma Freeman, 37, whose family chose Christchurch over Wellington when relocating from Portland in the United States because of Covid-19.

Freeman and husband Rollo Wenlock, 40, lived in Wellington for 18 years before moving to Portland with their two children in 2018, to help Wenlock set up an office for his video software start-up Wipster.

JRNY insurance founder Mike Lovegrove moved his business to Wellington from Auckland.

The biggest factor in their decision to overlook Wellington on their return to New Zealand, Freeman said, was the cost and quality of housing.

“It was so expensive and, in our minds, so unappealing,” she said.

“Even though we both like Wellington, the houses cost so much money, and they are not that big, not well-insulated, and you often have to park on the street.”

The couple sold their Kilbirnie house while in Portland and later bought a house in Huntsbury, Christchurch.

The four-bedroom house cost $735,000, with a comparable house in Wellington in similar proximity to the central city costing over $1 million, Freeman said.

Wellington’s weather and Wenlock’s family connections in Christchurch also played a part in the decision, “but the single biggest thing was the quality of housing”.

Freeman is a freelance copywriter and can work remotely, while Wenlock will probably travel to Wellington once a fortnight to work at Wipster’s other office.

But another start-up founder, 27-year-old Mike Lovegrove, who moved to Wellington from Auckland, said he “struggled to relate” to the report’s findings.

Infrastructure problems and delayed transport projects were also cited as deterrents for people considering moving to Wellington.

Lovegrove started JRNY, a company which helps people choose insurance policies, in Auckland in 2016, but moved to Wellington the following year.

Earlier this year, he closed his Auckland office and moved the company to Wellington fulltime.

Lovegrove said he moved to Wellington for the networking opportunities he felt Auckland lacked.

“I just got the impression that in Auckland, the attitude was, ‘You’re doing something, good luck’, whereas in Wellington it was, ‘You’re doing something, how can we help?’

“People are very receptive to helping people achieve their goals and not expecting anything in return.

“It was quite quick to get established here.”

Creative HQ, WellingtonNZ, and various investors had been initially helpful, he said.

Asked about professionals in their late 20s to early 40s reportedly not wanting to move to Wellington, Lovegrove said that was surprising.

“I just struggle to relate to that. Wellington is ranked one of the world’s most liveable cities.

“It’s a cool city, it’s the capital, there are lots of cool cafes. I think Wellington has a lot going for it.”

Lovegrove never considered things like infrastructure and delayed projects when choosing Wellington, and said public transport was better than in Auckland.

He lives in Island Bay, about a 20-minute bus ride from his central city office.

However, the renter who is looking to buy said housing was now more expensive in Wellington than it was in Auckland.

THEY SAY

We asked Wellingtonians to name the one thing they would change to make the capital a more liveable city.

Rachna Pillay, 28, recruitment agency worker

“Free public transport. When we had that [during the coronavirus lockdown], that was really good. Things flowed a lot easier and smoother.”

Matthew Townsend, 29, NZTA

“The much-talked-about light rail, that’s long overdue. You look at cities like Amsterdam, Melbourne, Copenhagen – everything flows.”

Catherine Haggie, 29, adviser at MPI

“Better transport from the eastern suburbs. Spending half an hour in peak traffic is not that fun.”

Jimi Reynolds, 30, public sector adviser

“Housing supply. When I came here [from England] two years ago, I found it very difficult to find houses in the first place, because so many people were looking in the same bracket.”

Jamie Carter, 30, assistant adviser at Ministry of Culture and Heritage

“Probably better public transport. I like the idea of the train [light rail] to the airport.”

Will Mather, 25, unemployed

“Widely available public housing through the city council – think about all of the people looking for affordable housing.”