Living Standards Series: Discussion Paper, 19/01, January 2019

While this paper has a focus on wellbeing for Māori specifically, it articulates a way of looking at wellbeing that can be applied to the full range of populations within Aotearoa New Zealand, and to indigenous populations universally. It offers a way of accounting for various values and beliefs that drive people's experiences of wellbeing and of responding to the needs, aspirations and interests of collectives and the individuals within them. The approach supports a holistic view of wellbeing in which people can identify for themselves the outcomes they want to have balanced or prioritised. This approach positions the public sector to advance wellbeing in a different way and look to respond to the various needs, interests and aspirations of New Zealanders.

Although the LSF is intended as a decision-making tool to influence the stocks and flows of capitals that represent the potential drivers of future wellbeing, it is yet to fully develop a good description of the wider system that delivers wellbeing, and how wellbeing should be understood. This paper offers an extension to that description. (From the Executive summary).

One in the series of discussion papers related to the Treasury approach to the Living Standards Framework - follow the link for more information. Record #6161