February 2025 Pānui
Kia ora koutou,
After a relaxing summer break, we are beginning the next phase of summer (Hui-tanguru) with the sun on our backs, and the drive and hope needed to continue building this movement in 2025.
In a couple of days it will be Waitangi Day. Let us reflect on the promises made, and draw inspiration from the possibilities of a te Tiriti-led future.
With that in mind, we reflect on what we have achieved and cast our minds forward to the year ahead.
2024 was an incredible year for the Wellbeing Economy movement in Aotearoa. We hosted 17 events, 6 webinars, and a sold out conference; spoke at 13 events; published 3 reports; presented 2 submissions to Parliaments; launched one video collaboration; and launched one campaign for a Future Generations Act for Aotearoa.
We feel the momentum propelling us forwards and are excited for what 2025 will bring. In particular, the Future Generations campaign will see us collaborating with others on game-changing legislation.
This legislation will champion the wellbeing of generations to come. We’ll be holding organising hui, engaging with MPs, developing a coalition of organisations and spreading the word as much as we can. Stay turned…
Thank you to all of our collaborators, supporters and funders, together we are creating the world we want to pass on.
Mauri ora,
WEAll Aotearoa team
Updates
Our Economy for Public Good conference saw 300+ thinkers and do’ers come together from across Aotearoa to discuss redesigning our economy in service of life. The energy in the room was palpable as we shared knowledge, skills and a vision for the future.
We will also be sharing summaries of the breakout sessions in the coming weeks, watch this space. Thank you to everyone who made the conference such a success.
Submissions
In January we made our submission, strongly opposing the Principles of the Treaty of Waitangi Bill. Not only is the proposed Bill inconsistent with te Tiriti, but is also incompatible with a Wellbeing Economy.
Likewise, we submitted against the Regulatory Standards Bill. In our view, the bill is fundamentally flawed and, if enacted, would have profoundly negative implications for our country, the wellbeing of New Zealanders, and our environment. We noted that previous versions of the bill have consistently been rejected by our country’s decision-makers, and this version is no different.
Wellbeing Economy Policy Design Course
The Wellbeing Economy Alliance, together with the Doughnut Economics Action Lab, ZOE Institute and Partners for a New Economy, are proud to present the Wellbeing Economy Policy Design course. This is a self-guided, free, online course for anyone who wants to upskill in the Wellbeing Economy.
Campaigns
Our campaign for a Future Generations Act, led by Sophie Handford, is taking shape and we couldn’t be more excited. We believe long-term decision making can make us the ancestors future generations deserve. We’ve got an organising hui in a couple weeks time, three MP meetings this month, one reference group hui and several rangatahi rōpu check ins.
We look forward to sharing where we get to after bringing 60 minds together to dream, scheme and organise!
Other upcoming events
Our supporters call is happening tonight, Tuesday 4 February! Join us to learn about our work plan for 2025, project ideas to test with you and how you can get involved.
People, Planet, Pints in Tāmaki Maraukau! Join us for a drink at Galbraith's Alehouse (2 Mount Eden Road) to chat all things wellbeing economy and meet our new Comms Lead Georgie Craw who is Tāmaki based. RSVP hereso we get a sense of numbers and you’ll get the all important calendar invite.
We’re hosting our first WEAll Aotearoa 101 on Tuesday 11 March for those who aren’t quite ready to get involved, but want to find out more. On this call we will share about our whakapapa as an organisation, why we need a wellbeing economy, and what we’ve done and plan to do to get us there. If, after that, you’re convinced, we can discuss more about how you can support. RSVP here.
The Wellbeing Economy Book Club will be discussing Right story, wrong story: Adventures in Indigenous Thinking by Tyson Yunkaporta on Tuesday 18 March 7pm. Don't feel you have to read the book to come along. Check out the Sydney Morning Herald review here, watch this interview with Tyson at the Purpose Conference 2023 or listen to this discussion of the book on the Peripheral Thinking podcast. You can RSVP here.
Wellbeing Economy in the news
You can listen to global WEAll co-founder Katherine Trebeck on, not one, but two New Zealand podcasts!
Katherine Trebeck on having a wellbeing economy with Bryan Bruce on Bryan Bruce’s Head2Head podcast.
Katherine Trebeck on wellbeing economics, mountains and systems change on The Seeds podcast.
At the beginning of the year, our PM gave his state of the nation address. Its central focus was about ‘unleashing’ economic growth.
But, as our director Gareth Hughes, explains in this Spinoff article, the real questions should be ‘what growth, where and benefiting who?’
After all, ‘Economic growth is a bit like running. You can run faster but if you’re running faster in no direction you are simply getting nowhere fast or worse, arriving quickly at a place you don’t want to be.’
Responding to the same speech, our Research Economist Dr Paul Dalziel argues that high economic growth is not the same thing as a strong economy. Paul points out that there are many ways a country can increase its short-term economic growth, but weaken its long-term prospects.
Although there is no magic button to solve our grand challenges, we can come together in a coordinated way. For example, mission-led governments, advocated by thinkers like Professor Mariana Mazzucato, provide insight into how we can reinvent our economic purpose in the face of today’s grand challenges.
Recommendations
Check out some of these great articles, podcasts and projects:
Anne Salmon, Hayek’s Bastards: In this article on Newsroom, Dame Anne Salmond discusses how submitting on the Regulatory Standards Bill influenced her summertime reading. Read as she traces the roots of neoliberalism and neoliberal thought in Aotearoa today.
Planetary Solvency - finding our balance with nature: The international Institute and Faculty of Actuaries, these are our global risk experts, published a report highlighting that ‘the global economy could face a 50% loss in GDP between 2070 and 2090, unless immediate policy action on risks posed by the climate crisis is taken. It shares a framework for global risk management to address these risks and show how this approach can support future prosperity.
Post-growth: the science of wellbeing within planetary boundaries: Read the latest thought leadership on post-growth thinking. The paper highlights how wealthy countries' economic growth imperative is at the cost of our environment and social cohesion.
Ending Child Poverty: The crucial role for Community Wealth Building: Read this great piece from Scottish Community Wealth Building expert Neil McInroy which explores the connection between child poverty goals and Community Wealth Building, a practical tool to boost local economies.
Building Resilience Through Local Communities: Wondering what you might be able to do in your local community to build connection and resiliency? Listen to Nate Hagens in conversation with Christian Sawyer talk about community work parties and the resulting local supportive network.
