Keep up to date

A new place to find what’s on in Tāmaki Makaurau and bring your own ideas to life

Maketime is what we’re calling our series of workshops where ideas come to life. We’ve already got three planned this year and ‘Move It’ is the theme for the first one.

This one's all about movement – physical, creative or social. Think sport, dance, wellness, activism, theatre or anything that gets people moving and connecting IRL.

Maketime is where young people come together to spark, shape and share ideas.

Whether it’s an event, project, talks or something totally new, if it’s by youth and for youth, it belongs here.

This round is all about Pride – creating whatever you dream up for Auckland Pride 2026. Think parties, events, workshops, art, film, community hangouts or something no one’s done before.

Come solo or with mates. Work with mentors, meet new people and access funding to help make your idea happen. No idea? No problem. Just come ready to be part of something.

Saturday 6 & 7 December, 2 - 6pm, both days
Location: Rainbow Youth, 10 Abbey Street, Auckland Central

Supporting safety and wellbeing at work for employees who are stalked by an intimate (ex) partner.

The Crimes Legislation (Stalking and Harassment) Amendment Act will come into law in 2026. What will this law do? How might employers support employees who are stalked at work? What is the reality of intimate partner stalking for people (mostly women) who experience it? What should employers consider when supporting safety and wellbeing at work for these employees?

Come to this DVFREE-hosted breakfast event to hear from a panel that will include:
– A member of the National Collective of Independent Women’s Refuges Research Team
– A DVFREE expert
– A workplace wellbeing specialist with lived experience of intimate partner violence while employed.

Details:
8:00am – 9:30am, Tuesday 25th Nov, Auckland CBD venue, details provided with registration.

There is no cost to attend this event.
To register email dvfree@2shine.org.nz

Auckland Council launches essential guide to new life in Tāmaki Makaurau

Auckland Council is thrilled to announce the launch of its Welcome to Auckland web portal— a helpful and essential guide for anyone making Tāmaki Makaurau their new home. 

The portal aims to ease the transition for new residents by acting as a central hub for information, community services and civic participation, ensuring newcomers feel a sense of belonging from day one.  

The initiative is built on the Welcoming Communities framework – an international programme led in Aotearoa by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) and is aligned with the Auckland Plan and the city’s strategic objectives for Thriving Communities.   

"This portal is a powerful tool in improving social cohesion and ensuring that our newest residents can fully participate in the economic, civic, and cultural life of our city from the moment they arrive. Welcoming Communities means stronger communities, and that’s a win for all involved." 

The Welcome to Auckland portal is not just a website; it's an invitation to engage. The resource was shaped by shared experiences of newcomers to Auckland as well as mana whenua and their perspectives on iwi roles in welcoming newcomers and making it a doorway to culture, values and an understanding of Te Tiriti o Waitangi, Iwi and Hapū of Tāmaki Makaurau, as well as cultural events like Matariki. 

Alongside the digital platform, a practical orientation programme of workshops is being rolled out in partnership with community organisations across nine local boards. These workshops give new residents hands-on information on everything from public transport and accessing local services to participating in civic life. 

"By focusing on clear, accessible information and cultural education, we are setting a foundation for genuine understanding and lifelong belonging." 

Nau mai, Haere mai ki Tāmaki Makaurau. Your journey to belonging starts here: Welcome to Auckland – a practical guide for newcomers. 

Expressions of Interest are now open for World of Cultures Festival and CultureFest 2026.

The festival includes many events and activities across the region from 21 March to 5 April 2026 with our signature event CultureFest – a full-day event at Mt Roskill on 29 March 2026.

To participate in World of Cultures by organising and presenting a public cultural event or activity, apply here:
https://tinyurl.com/yyfss6pk
Deadline: 9am, Monday 17 November 2025

To participate in CultureFest at Mt Roskill with a performance, apply here:
https://tinyurl.com/bd5b6n5j
Deadline: 9am, Monday 5 January 2026

To participate in CultureFest as a craft/food/other stall holder, apply here:
https://tinyurl.com/594wnf64
Deadline: 9am, Monday 5 January 2026

haping the Future of Your Community: Local Board Plans 2026

Every three years, post elections, Auckland’s 21 local boards work with their communities to develop a local board plan — a strategic document that sets out local priorities and preferences, and guides how council delivers services and investment in each area.

Work will start shortly on the draft Local Board Plans 2026

Why early conversations matter

Local Board Plans are more than just council documents — they are community roadmaps. They reflect what people value most about their neighbourhoods and identify what needs to change or improve.

Early conversations help shape direction before formal consultation begins. They allow local boards to test ideas, understand community aspirations, and identify shared priorities. When people engage early, their voices help define what success looks like — from local parks and facilities to transport connections, climate action, and community wellbeing.

Working together for better outcomes

Local boards are supported by teams across Auckland Council who provide expert advice and data to inform the plans.

But the most valuable insights often come directly from the community. When residents, mana whenua, businesses, and community groups share their perspectives early, local boards can make more informed, confident decisions that truly reflect local needs and opportunities.

What happens next

Over the coming months, you will have the opportunity to take part in early engagement activities — through local events, online feedback, and conversations with key groups and partners.

Your input will help shape the draft of each Local Board Plan, which will be formally consulted on in mid-2026.

How you can get involved

Together, we can create plans that reflect the aspirations, identity, and priorities of every community across Auckland — and set a strong direction for the next three years.

Every fourth Thursday of the month, 12pm - 1.30pm, Ellen Melville Centre

Join a community meeting. We meet monthly at the Ellen Melville Centre to discuss a range of topics and connect our city centre community.

Every Friday and Saturday, 10:00pm to 3:00am, from 10 July to 19 September

Outside Ellen Melville Centre

We are so excited to be expanding into Auckland with a 10-week pilot supported by Auckland Council.

In Auckland, Take10 will be providing services like, games, phone charging, water, transport advice, first-aid medical support, friendly trained volunteers who love to kōrero with anyone who visits, and acting as a safe spot for people to relax, take a break or come to if they are lost or become separated from the people they are with.

Taking our mahi into a new city and being able to meet, and support a whole new group of people is something we are so looking forward too. If you are on a night out drop by and say Kia ora, we would love to meet you!

What makes us different?

Preventative – we catch people before they become victims by stopping them from becoming isolated and helping to reconnect people

Approach-able – people are often more willing to come to us than the police or emergency services

Safe – we give people a safe place to go - where they can charge their phones, take a break, sober up, have a chat, get medical support, and get help to get home safely.

A community newsletter for apartment dwellers

The Vertical Voice is one of the best and most readable sources of local information for apartment dwellers. Sent out monthly by email, it is free and easy to receive. ​Written by local Antony Phillips, the Vertical Voice seeks to help build neighbourhood and community in the City Centre, by raising the profile of information, local events and other opportunities, relevant to those of us living in apartments locally. ​

Subscribe now to receive monthly news.

An e-newsletter with city centre updates

Auckland City Centre Residents Group Ngā Kainoho o Te Pokapū o Tāmiki (CCRG) is a volunteer, non-profit, registered incorporated society with the purpose to represent – as a policy lobbying & stakeholder group advocate – Auckland City Centre residents, and their interests and concerns, to Auckland Council and any other agency whose actions have an impact on us.

News and views from Auckland streets

The K’Road Chronicle is inspired by The Big Issue, with a number eight wire twist. It is a street paper for the fringe community of Karangahape Road, Auckland, New Zealand.

The K’Road Chronicle is a not for profit social enterprise with all profit returned to the disenfranchised and destitute through direct action initiatives.

K'Road Chronicles Season 3
Season 3 Intro and full season: Celebrating the human spirit born out of homelessness

Sharing for a stronger community, a healthier environment, and a way cooler tomorrow.

CoKoha connects communities, reduces waste, and spreads kindness through koha – the gift of love.

The Auckland Central Community Patrol is a dedicated group of individuals committed to fostering a safer and more secure environment for everyone in our vibrant city.

Our volunteers are the extra eyes and ears for the New Zealand Police, actively patrolling the streets, and contributing to the overall well-being of the community.

Consider supporting Community Patrol by donating and volunteering.