Peter McKenzie Project

The rawe team at Wellbeing Economy Alliance Aotearoa NZ have had another very busy and successful year! Check out just some of their highlights.

New Zealanders support efforts to reduce child and family poverty because we value compassion, and we know that its only together we can thrive. National, Labour, the Greens and New Zealand First were all in agreement this was important and supported introduction of the Child Poverty Reduction Act in 2018. Since then, we have had a global pandemic that has seen costs such as rent and groceries rise enormously. Leaders of both National and Labour recommitted to Aotearoa's long-term child poverty reduction goals on the election trail. And now unemployment and the number of people on Jobseeker support are rising. This means more whanau are being swept into poverty and are faced with even more impossible choices. Even two income households are being pulled under, into poverty. At a time of enormous demand, food banks are seeing their funding from government reduce. And on Friday, our Government announced a persistent poverty target. Rather than committing to policy changes to reduce the numbers from the current 9.4% of families, the target allows for an *more* families to be swept into poverty in the next three years. And over the next ten, they are working towards a measly one percent reduction. Previously set targets for material hardship have also been loosened. We need stretch not soft targets to ensure Government is sharply focused on efforts to unlock families from poverty. We are with Child Poverty Action Group NZ - CPAG, this is not the area to lower our sights. Now is the time to #doubledown on helping those doing it toughest so they can use their skills and determination to create a better life.

Rawe to see Jacqui Chan working with many important rōpū. Our Peter McKenzie Project team certainly appreciates all she brings to her work as a live illustrator.

At the excellent Wellbeing Economy Alliance Aotearoa NZ's #EconomyforPublicGood conference, Boyd Scirkovich made a strong impression with many in the audience. He is the Chief Economic Development and Investment officer for Te Rūnanga O Toa Rangatira, and he spoke about Ngāti Toa's mahi to create a strong circular economy. The Toa Economy! Their website contains lots of good information, including on their business network, education, whenua mahi, and their residential development. Kenepuru is worth a look; it is in its second stage now and will include 700 homes: https://lnkd.in/gB5_HEFm #economy

Our latest PMP newsletter is out: https://lnkd.in/gMbCUX7n It includes pieces on the recent sold-out WEAll Economy for the Public Good conference, a piece on good governance for systems change, and an overview of our November gathering for Mahi Tahi in Tāmaki-makau-rau. You can sign up for these pānui at our website by clicking on the link at the bottom right: https://lnkd.in/gebkDWtc

Paul Gilberd from Community Housing Aotearoa Ngā Wharerau o Aotearoa is joining Minister Christopher Bishop and Ali Hamlin-Paenga EMBA MALP PGDPH on Wednesday night in Poneke Wellington to talk about Addressing the Housing Crisis. Our current housing system is serving less and less of us, and it's time for change. This hui follows CHA's very successful conference in Tāmaki Makaurau last week that saw 500 in-person and 400 attendees join online. Affordable and appropriate housing for all. RSVP now to secure your in-person spot here: https://lnkd.in/gxBbHfvp Or you can go here to watch the livestream: https://lnkd.in/gNQ_iJAZ #AotearoaHousing

Here is a brand-new resource from The Workshop for Wellbeing Economy Alliance Aotearoa NZ about how you can talk effectively about redesigning our economy to benefit people and planet. Making positive changes to ensure our economy works better seems so vital to seeing changes that help all families in Aotearoa thrive.

Wellbeing Economy Alliance Aotearoa NZ have done it again only bigger and better! 👏 Another sold out conference with 300 registrants gathering in Te Whanganui a Tara. There is so much energy here, its hard to describe. So many people taking action and wanting to take action to transform our economy to be one that benefits people and planet. Speakers included Katherine Trebeck, Tina Ngata, Ganesh Nana, Minette Hillyer and Gael Surgenor and session leads Marlon Drake and Eruera Tarena. MC Trent Hohaia and illustrator Jacqui Chan. Nga mihi nui ki a koutou. Thanks to the team from WEAll - Justin Connolly, Dalziel Paul, Qiulae Wong-Anthony, Michael Worth, Brett Anderson, Sophie Handford, Gareth Hughes and Sally Hett for all their mahi to make this event so rawe.

We can all see the enormous increases to the cost of living in recent years, meaning those on low incomes are forced to make impossible decisions like choosing between paying for food, rent and electricity. https://lnkd.in/gsH83MbC This piece from Kāinga Ora - Homes and Communities and University of Otago (Te Whare Wānanga o Ōtākou) researchers and Karolinska Institutet (Stockholm, Sweden) sheds light on how those with the lowest incomes are not only paying a higher proportion of their income on power but are also paying more for power per unit. "As well as causing harm to physical health, energy poverty contributes to broader well-being impacts and increases the risk of severe mental distress." At the moment, the way our systems work is constraining families who are working incredibly hard to do the best for their kids. They are being swept into poverty and held there by how things work. We need the budgets set by government to prioritise increased access to affordable electricity and energy efficient housing so that families can look up 🙄 and build a better future. A better future for them and their tamariki. Imagine the difference that having a warm stable home can make to a family in financial hardship? No more moving and changing schools yet again, less time off school and work because of another respiratory infection, the building of connection and belonging in a local community... We need an economy that works for all of us. #togetherwethrive Wellbeing Economy Alliance Aotearoa NZ Community Housing Aotearoa Ngā Wharerau o Aotearoa

Join Wellbeing Economy Alliance Aotearoa NZ at their conference to hear Dr Jess Berentson-Shaw from The Workshop who is sharing on narratives to support the new economy. #EconomyForPublicGood