March 2025 Pānui

Written By Georgie Craw

Haere mai and welcome to this month’s pānui. 

As we write this, we can hear the quintessential summer sound of a kihikihi cicada chorus. 

Moving through this last phase of summer we reflect on what it means to live a good life: summer bbqs with friends and family, time to dream and create, time to connect with nature. All the things that make our worlds richer, but are not captured by GDP. 

Like the cicada, we have been busy this past month. Highlights include our first ever Future Generations Act Organising Hui, the formation of a Students for a Wellbeing Economy club at Te Herenga Waka Victoria University, our board gathering at Waiterimu, Waikato, and Gareth submitting on the Treaty Principles Bill. 

Read on for more details, including an invitation to our first Wellbeing Economy 101 call.

Ngā mihi nui, 

The WEAll Aotearoa team

Gareth, Georgie, Paul, Sally and Sophie 

WEAll Aotearoa updates 

Future Generations Hui

Last week we brought together 40 passionate and engaged changemaking individuals and organisations for the first ever Future Generations Act Organising Hui in Pōneke. Our vision for Aotearoa is one where the well-being of future generations and the natural world, te taiao, are central to all policy and legislative decisions.

The energy in the room was electric as we explored how we can achieve this vision through legislation and by fostering a broad movement and mindset shift within our communities. We heard from the Foundations for Tomorrow team in Australia who are working with MPs across the political spectrum advancing future generations policy and law there.

Thank you to everyone who made the day the success it was. It felt like the beginning of something significant– a seed we’ll reflect on in the future. If you would like to get involved, please add your details here.

Orientation Week 

We are stoked to report a group of university students formed a Students for a Wellbeing Economy club at Te Herenga Waka Victoria University during O’ Week this year. Huge thank you to club founder Jamie Nimmo, all the students who signed up, and Cleanery, a B-certified Kiwi company, for donating their eco-friendly products for our stand. If you are interested in starting a club at your university, please get in touch.

Board strategic planning hui

A big thank you to WEAll’s Trustees Justin Connolly Qiulae Wong, Michael Worth, Jo Waitoa, Donna Purdue, Michael Worth and Brett Anderson who spent the weekend in the rural Waikato recently for a strategic planning hui.  

Pictured: WEAll Aotearoa trustees out for a hike (not pictured Chairperson Justin Connolly)

WEAll Aotearoa Treaty submission 

Last month our director, Gareth Hughes, submitted in person on our behalf against the Treaty Principles Bill. In addition to our calls for the Crown to reject the bill and put considerable effort back into restoring the treaty relationship, Gareth pointed to how te Tiriti is a korowai that protects our country, and if we want a healthier economy and improved quality of life, Te Tiriti has a foundational role to play. You can watch the full submission here. 

Conference Training resources 

A very exciting part of the Economy for Public Good conference 2024 was six engaging training sessions that discussed key tools for redesigning our economy. We have just published the session summaries and slide decks from the training sessions.

These sessions explored topics ranging from measuring wellbeing and impact, to narratives for a new economy, to the power of organising. You can view the facilitators’ slides and our session summaries here. 

Thank you to everyone involved, and to our wonderful volunteer note takers. 

Reaffirming Local Governments’ role in strengthening economies 

We are co-creating a Local Government Policy Handbook with organisations to support candidates with key messaging, policies and evidence examples to campaign on reshaping local economies to prioritise the wellbeing of all people and the planet. We want to reaffirm the crucial and unique role of local govt supporting local communities’ wellbeing and strengthening economies. 

We were pleased with the energy and ideas shared at our latest Local Government Network event on Monday 3 March with 20+ councillors and mayors from across the country. 

If you’ve got policy ideas for the handbook or case studies from your rohe, we’re keen to hear! Email sally@weall.org.nz 

Wellbeing economy in the news 

Right to Repair letter

On 19 February the Consumer Guarantees (Right to Repair) Amendment Bill had its First Reading in the house. Gareth wrote to the (then) Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly, setting out our support of right to repair legislation. You can read the full letter here. 

Treaty Principles Bill Select Committee media 

Our oral submission on the Treaty Principles Bill was picked up by a number of outlets, our favourite was the piece from Stuff who quoted us in the headline: ‘If this law was kai it would be an ACT school lunch’. 

Take action

  • Say no to corporate tax cuts by signing the Tax Justice petition. 

  • Stop the public transport fares hike by signing the Free Fares petition. 

  • Opportunity to join Eco Choice Aotearos’s team of experts. Eco Choice Aotearoa (the country’s official ecolabel) is seeking expressions of interest from industry professionals and academics with expertise in areas including, but not limited to: circular economy, modern slavery, carbon and energy, ISO standards, building and development, and digital product passports. Learn more here. 

Events

Wellbeing Economy 101 

On Tuesday 11 March (7pm) we will be holding our first Wellbeing Economy 101 online event.

Join us for a free one-hour webinar that will explore:

  • An introduction to the Wellbeing Economy: the history, global movement and why it’s needed;

  • Key ideas and strategies - covering a broad range from Doughnut Economics, circular and regenerative approaches, to Community Wealth Building;

  • The Wellbeing Economy in Aotearoa - practical examples from Māori, business and policy change; and

  • How to get involved and advance an economy in service to life.

RSVP here. Please send to anyone you know who would be interested. 

6 March: Wellbeing Economy Policymakers Network event (online). In collaboration between WEAll and ZOE Institute for Future Fit Economies, this event will focus on what we can learn from the Victorian Government’s (Australia) Early Intervention Investment Framework. 

13 March: West Auckland Book talk 'Economic Futures, Climate Change and Modernity' with author Professor Ruth Irwin chaired by Waitakere Ranges Local Board Chairperson Greg Presland. What are the alternatives to the Neoliberal Economic system? Is unbridled Economic Growth the solution or the problem? Let's learn more and talk about it.  7:30pm Thursday 13 March, Titirangi Community House. 

18 March: WEAll Aotearoa Bookclub (7pm, online). In this session will be discussing ‘Right story, wrong story: Adventures in Indigenous Thinking’ by Tyson Yunkaporta. Don't feel you have to read the book to come along. 

21-22 March: Climate Action Tai Tokerau Conference. Gareth will be giving the keynote address at this conference on the need for economic systems change in response to climate change and hosting a workshop on Community Wealth Building.

8 April: WEAll Aotearoa Supporters’ Call (7pm, online). Find out how you can get more involved in our projects on community wealth building, Wellbeing of Future Generations Act, narratives reframing and organising local events.

23-24 April: Post-Capitalist Aotearoa Conference, Wellington. As economic and environmental crises intensify, the Post Capitalist Aotearoa Conference will explore viable and transformative alternatives to capitalism in Aotearoa/New Zealand. Discussions will focus on systemic change, policy and community-driven solutions.

Recommendations 

Georgie Craw
Next

Treaty Principles Bill is the legislative equivalent of ACT’s new school lunches