Successful and profitable businesses are an important part of the Wellington economy. They create well paying jobs and good businesses bring prosperity to the region through investment and innovation. It is important that Wellington is a place where businesses can actually succeed.

I can see two areas to focus on improving business viability:

• In Auckland businesses pay 31% higher rates than household. In Wellington they pay 370% more. This is unsustainably high and needs to be resolved.

• Disruption due to city improvement activities is a key issue for businesses. Those businesses should receive fair compensation during periods of disruption.

Wellington needs transport infrastructure that makes it faster, cheaper and easier for people to move around our city.

Space is the biggest constraint to Wellington having an effective transport network. Therefore it is critical we prioritise transport networks that are space efficient - allowing more people to travel through transport corridors faster.

This means completing and improving bus priority lanes, cycle lanes and pedestrianisation upgrades to allow:

• Cheaper, faster and more reliable public transport.

• Safer bike and walking journeys that are more fun.

• When you need to drive less congestion means you get around or across town faster.

• Guaranteed emissions reductions from increased public transport use and walking and cycling.

Transport is the number one source of emissions for Wellington city. There are two clear sensible actions to take to reduce these which if done effectively will dramatically reduce emissions:

• Intensification of housing close to the city is the number one most effective way to reduce household emissions as this reduces the overall length of most journeys - reducing transport emissions by default as people live closer to the place they want to be.

• Transport infrastructure is a major constraint to intensification and in Wellington space is a constraint to transport infrastructure. Therefore the city must increase the attractiveness of public transport, cycling and walking all of which allow for more people to move in less space.

The case for switching to land value rates to generate much needed investment in housing and buildings in Wellington.