Nau mai, haere mai, welcome to our May pānui.

The other day, I found myself downloading a climate anxiety meditation — prompted not by a single issue, but by a rapid scroll through stories of plastic pollution, soil degradation, and runaway financialisation. While I appreciated the offering (even with the 15-second pizza ad), let's be honest: the real solution to this rising sense of doom isn't on the other side of my phone screen. The real solution looks more like community, connection and care.

That's why we're excited to be organising a range of in-person (and yes, online) events designed to build connection and a shared sense of purpose.

A big focus for us in this local government election year, is pushing for systemic local solutions for a reshaped economy. This is something we know people are hungry for.

According to the latest Ipsos Cost of Living Report confidence in the economy is low, and few of us believe things will improve anytime soon. To be more specific, 47% of us are worried about our job security, 65% of us believe that unemployment will rise in the next year, and 80% of us believe the cost of living will continue to increase.

Our perceptions of the economy are grounded in our lived realities. It is no wonder that Kiwis don't "see the connection" between modest GDP growth and a better future. But our economic system is a product of design and can be redesigned.

Below, you'll find a mix of hopeful mahi, including opportunities to come together.

Nga mihi nui,

Georgie Craw on behalf of Gareth, Paul, Sally and Sophie.

WEAll updates

The old economy is cracking — what comes next?

In April the International Monetary Fund declared a global economic reset, noting 'the global economic system under which most countries have operated for the last 80 years is being reset, ushering the world into a new era. Existing rules are challenged while new ones are yet to emerge.' We responded: now is the time to embrace a wellbeing economy — one that prioritises environmental sustainability, social equity, and community prosperity over outdated measures like GDP. Read Gareth's full response on our website.

Level the Lobbying Playing Field

Gareth recently facilitated a Health Coalition Aotearoa panel supporting their "Level the Lobbying Playing Field" campaign, highlighting the lack of a public lobbying register, code of conduct, or independent watchdog in New Zealand—conditions that allow hidden influence.

In a Wellbeing Economy, transparency and community participation are essential, which is why we're proud to support their campaign Lobbying in Aotearoa – It's Time to Level the Playing Field. You can join the campaign on their website.

Reintroducing Dr Paul Dalziel, Research Economist

We were delighted to publish a short interview with Dr Paul Dalziel - a man who needs little by way of introduction.

Paul was one of the founding trustees for WEAll Aotearoa. After retiring as Professor of Economics at the end of 2024, Paul joined the WEAll staff team as Research Economist.

So, if you're curious about what inspires Paul or looking for some fantastic book recommendations, we've got the perfect blog post for you!

Principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi: An economic perspective

Paul recently completed a two-year research project on the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi. The project was funded by Partners for a New Economyand hosted by the Ngāi Tahu Research Centre at the University of Canterbury.
Paul led the research with Dr Matthew Scobie and Professor John Reid at the University of Canterbury. He has published a one-page note celebrating the work of the Waitangi Tribunal, which includes a link to the full report, which has the title: *Principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi: An Economics Perspective*.

Right to repair oral submission

How can we better conserve resources and work towards a more regenerative, circular economy? This was the main question discussed in Gareth's submission in support of the Right to Repair legislation.

As Gareth discussed, every year we throw out 600kgs of waste per person. This all adds up. In 2020, the World Economic Forum estimated the amount of anthropogenic mass exceeded, for the first time, the dry weight of all life on earth. Just plastics alone is greater than all land and sea animals!

Our current approach is not only unsustainable, it is also, just a little bit, well… dumb.

But we can fix this. Our economy is a product of design and can be redesigned to be more circular and regenerative. We can have an economy where all resources are valued and waste is minimised close to zero by mimicking nature. Right to Repair legislation is one step in the right direction.

Events

8 May: We All Chat Tamaki Makaurau (5:30pm, in-person at Galbraith's Alehouse). The WEAll Aotearoa team will be up in Tamaki Makaurau and we'd love to meet up with our Auckland supporters for a drink and chat about all things wellbeing economy. RSVP here.

10 May: WEAll Aotearoa Supporters' Call. On this supporters' call we will focus on systems mapping - who is doing, what, across Aotearoa as well as sharing ways people can get involved. RSVP here.

13-14 May: Sustainable Brands Aotearoa Conference 2025 (Rotorua). Attendees will hear from purpose-driven brands, economists and policy experts on 'how smart brands are proving the value of purpose'. Gareth will be speaking on a panel with Mike Dupee (Sustainable Brands Global CEO) and Rachel Brown (Founder of Sustainable Business Network).

23 May: Child Poverty Action Group Post Budget Breakfast (Auckland). CPAG's annual budget analysis event is back with expert analysis from Bernard Hickey, Prof Matt Roskruge and Harry Yu Shi. Attendees will also hear rangatahi and community viewpoints.

17 June: WEAll Aotearoa Book Club. In June we will be discussing Plurality: The future of collaborative technology and democracy by Audrey Tang and Eric Glen Weyl. Access the full book for free here.

24 June: Wellbeing Economy 101. Curious to find out more about what a Wellbeing Economy is and how to get there? Join the WEAll Aotearoa team for a free one-hour introductory webinar. Share with people you think would be interested.

Recommendations

Listen to Katherine Trebeck and Liz Grant in conversation with Bryan Bruce. In this episode of Head2Head, Bryan Bruce sits down with Katherine Trebeck (co-founder of the Wellbeing Economy Alliance) and Professor Liz Grant (co-director of the Global Compassion Initiative) to explore how we might reimagine our economic systems through the lens of compassion, wellbeing, and shared purpose.
Read Mika Hervel's winning essay on deliberative democracy, recipient of the inaugural Rod Oram Memorial Essay Prize.
Watch Deborah Frieze's talk 'How I Became a Localist' which explores the underlying beliefs in our culture that continue to prop up the global mindset. She argues for a radical theory of change based on localism, where we all have a part to play.