PRIORITY ISSUES > WELLBEING FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS ACT
What if our politics was accountable to future generations and te taiao.
A Wellbeing of Future Generations Act for Aotearoa
We believe we can put future generations at the core of our government and public service decision making which will enable intergenerational wellbeing.
WEAll Aotearoa is collaborating with experts and partners to promote a Wellbeing of Future Generations Act for Aotearoa to deliver better quality decision making and improved accountability for long-term good.
Introducing the bill
Inspired by international examples and Te Ao Māori leadership, we aim to draft a proposed Wellbeing of Future Generations Act for Aotearoa to build on the momentum already generated for this concept in New Zealand.
Our goal is to launch a draft members’ bill sponsored by a cross-party grouping of MPs at the Economy for Public Good conference, 28 November in Pōneke Wellington.
Learning from the Welsh Act
In 2015, Wales became the first country to enshrine the rights of future generations into law with the Well-being of Future Generations Act (2015). This has led to significant policy changes and other countries are following the Welsh lead such as Scotland, Spain and Portugal, and now, Aotearoa.
About the Act:
Seven connected wellbeing goals.
“Sustainable development” is the central organising principle.
Appoints a Future Generations Commissioner for Wales, with promotional, advisory and monitoring responsibilities.
Developed through deep citizen engagement - ‘The Wales We Want’ - a year long national conversation with over 6,000 people.
WEAll is not alone in calling for this approach
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Tokona Te Raki - Māori Futures
The social innovation entity of Kāi Tahu, Tokona Te Raki, advocate for an intergenerational approach and undertook a research trip to Wales in 2023 to learn more.
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Koi Tū - Centre for Informed Futures
Koi Tū is an independent, non-partisan think tank at the University of Auckland and convenes conversation and debate around informed decision making for our long-term future.
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McGuinness Institute
The McGuinness Institute has done extensive research on the history of futures thinking in Aotearoa and is a consistent advocate for embedding foresight and long-term thinking into public policy.
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NZ Productivity Commission
The Productivity Commission advised the Government to establish a Parliamentary Commissioner focused on future generations in its 2023 Fair Chance for All report.
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Jonathon Boston - Protecting the rights of future generations
Renowned New Zealand academic Jonathon Boston proposed four broad options for protecting the interests (needs or rights) of future generations in our democratic institutions in 2015, and has continued his research on institutional levers for futures thinking.
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Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet
The Policy Project at DPMC has been exploring these ideas, most notably, they hosted a round table event on protecting the interests of future generations and foresight in 2018.
