Economic and Social Research Aotearoa (ESRA) today released a critical report on the government’s ‘Wellbeing Budget’. Produced in conjunction with a team of community researchers and activists, the report shines a light on the failure of the budget to approach anything transformational.

The report focuses on the areas of housing, education, welfare, tax, immigration, and incarceration, to reveal a budget with good intentions but no follow-through.

ESRA researcher Shannon Walsh said that ‘While the move toward a wellbeing focus is a welcome development, the Government will need to do much more if it hopes to address the material hardship currently standing in the way of wellbeing in Aotearoa New Zealand.’

‘Despite rhetoric claiming otherwise, the budget is ultimately a failure in delivering on the promise of improving the wellbeing of all New Zealanders,’ he continued.

ESRA hopes that, in keeping with its mission, this report is used by community and activist organisations to push the government towards taking the action needed to make New Zealand a fairer place for everyone to live, in which wellbeing is truly valued.

The report can be accessed at www.esra.nz/budget-2019-report/

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