ABSTRACT
Using the example of Auckland in New Zealand, this chapter argues that under new conditions of neo-liberalized institutional relations and globalizing economic integration, experimental and networked forms of urban and regional governance are emerging. Those arrangements are based on asymmetrical actor co-dependency with a strong influence exerted by the central New Zealand state. Despite proliferating mobilization of business interests, the central state remains the main policy actor able to shape at least to some degree the conditions for urban and regional development. Central state interests are part of an emerging globally stretched networked governance architecture, which have effects on regional and urban processes in Auckland. This analysis shows that governing capitalist development remains a challenge, and constantly poses new policy problems. Finally a remark on what networked governance for global economic participation of New Zealand's largest city and key service centre might mean in the future.
