Australia is considering whether to double the amount of kava people can bring into the country for personal use. While many welcome the move, the rules on kava reflect a bias against its cultural use.
Jacinda Ardern has used the word “transformational” often during her 2017 election campaign. Now the coalition government’s well-being budget is held to that aspiration.
Support for Māori and Pasifika communities was a funding priority in New Zealand’s well-being budget, but a change in values may have greater impact than more money.
Simon Chapple, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington
Historically, New Zealand’s post-war rate of unemployment was 2% or lower until the early 1980s. Today, 4.4% of New Zealanders are out of work, but the well-being budget is unlikely to bring unemployment rates down.
New analysis shows that if New Zealand replaced GDP with the Genuine Progress Indicator, which accounts for social and environmental costs, it would be only half as well off.
Kate C. Prickett, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington
When thousands of New Zealand children were asked what well-being meant for them, most wanted enough money for basics, good relationships and to be free from bullying, racism and discrimination.
Under the New Zealand government’s well-being approach to the budget, funding that will help reduce emissions is linked with economic development and innovation.
Dougal Sutherland, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington
The New Zealand government has put a record NZ$1.9 billion mental health package at the centre of its well-being budget. It’s a welcome step in the right direction.
The high cost of dental treatment is stopping almost half of all New Zealanders from seeking care when they need it. Funding at least parts of dental care publicly could change that.
For New Zealand’s first well-being budget, the government has moved away from traditional economic growth measures to focus on goals like cultural identity, social connection and happiness.
Escalating tensions between India and Pakistan over the disputed Kashmir border are a stark reminder that the subcontinent is one of the world’s likeliest nuclear flashpoints.
New Zealand’s terrorism law has never been prosecuted successfully since it was enacted nearly 20 years ago. So, why are prosecutors bringing a terrorism charge against the Christchurch shooter?
Officially, the number of migrants globally reached 258 million in 2017, increasing by 49% since 2000. But the lack of a clear definition of who is or isn’t a migrant complicates the issue.
While the “Christchurch Call” summit has made concrete progress, we need to keep up the pressure on social media companies to become more transparent and accountable.
A ceasefire and peace agreement in Afghanistan may mean that the Taliban would have to lose their “terrorist” classification and turn from despised outlaws to legitimate powerbrokers.
Michael Fletcher, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington
Ardern’s coalition government promised to overhaul New Zealand’s welfare system, but its response to a comprehensive report by an expert advisory group has been disappointing at best.
Last week’s attempted removal of a newborn Māori baby from his family highlights the issue that indigenous children are much more likely to be taken into state care, in New Zealand and other countries.
Adjunct Professor, Faculty of Health and Environmental Sciences, Auckland University of Technology, and Professor of Political Science, Charles Sturt University