Social services emphasise value in reporting on wellbeing

In 2020, the Public Finance Act (1989) was amended to require the Treasury to report periodically on the state of wellbeing in New Zealand, and the Government to report annually on its wellbeing objectives through the Budget.

But the Public Finance Amendment Bill before Parliament removes reporting and Budget preparation requirements related to wellbeing.

The Treasury’s first wellbeing report, Te Tai Waiora, was published in November 2022. Wellbeing reports must be produced at least once every four years by Treasury.

In its annual Budget Policy Statement, the Government is currently required to explain wellbeing objectives that will guide its Budget decision-making and to explain in the Fiscal Strategy Report how they have done so.

Reasons given in the Bill for removing these provisions include streamlining and flexibility.

The NZCCSS, which includes Catholic Social Services, made a submission on the Bill, making a case for retaining the wellbeing requirements.

“A wellbeing perspective recognises that long-term economic performance is shaped by the health, housing, education, environmental sustainability and social cohesion of our communities,” the NZCCSS submission stated.

“The legislated requirements in the Public Finance Act (1989) that embed wellbeing help to ensure that investments are evaluated not just on fiscal considerations, but on whether they improve lives.

“The removal of the wellbeing requirements reduces the visibility of the impacts of Government spending across different communities – particularly those experiencing inequity, such as Māori, Pasifika, disabled people and low-income households.

“Prioritising wellbeing and putting people at the centre of investment also aligns well with the social investment approach where investment is designed to improve the lives of New Zealanders in need.”

The NZCCSS submission also noted that in its 2022 Wellbeing report, Treasury stated that it considers “wellbeing analysis to be economics done well”.

FULL STORY

Public Finance Amendment Bill (NZCCSS submission)

Public Finance Amendment Bill 165-1 (2025), Government Bill (NZ Legislation)

Using the LSF and He Ara Waiora (Treasury)