This month Australia released its first Wellbeing Framework, an attempt to measure the success of Australia beyond the economic lens, and better incorporate those factors into budget and resource allocations. 

Within the framework called ‘Measuring What Matters’, data was compiled to measure the health, security, sustainability, cohesiveness and prosperity across Australia. 

“The framework will help tell us how we are tracking over time, where we are doing well and where we need to do better,” Federal treasurer Jim Chalmers said. 

“The Government’s primary focus is addressing inflation…but it is important that we simultaneously work on better aligning our economic and social goals,” he said. 

Across 50 indicators, the framework showed that over recent decades we've made some gains and some losses.

Twenty (20) of those indicators have improved, including life expectancy and job opportunities.

Twelve (12) have deteriorated, such as chronic health conditions and access to health services, national security, biological diversity, fiscal sustainability and mental health.

The remaining eighteen (18) are showing little change.

Regional experience drives decline in wellbeing

Within the report, the experience of Australians living in regional areas was often a major factor in the deterioration of indicators, especially regarding access to health. 

“In 2021-22, those living in outer regional, remote, or very remote areas were more likely to report waiting longer than they felt acceptable for a GP appointment than those living in major cities,” the framework reported. 

The trust in the healthcare system was also lower in outer regional and remote areas (69.6 per cent) in comparison to those living in major cities (77.6 per cent).

The sentiment in regional areas across Australia is reflective of the experience of regionally-based people in NSW, as exposed in the state’s rural health inquiry. 

Part of a bigger plan

The wellbeing framework has been an important feature to Mr Chalmers, who proposed it in 2020 as shadow Treasurer, in keeping with international practice from countries like New Zealand and Canada who have already adopted similar frameworks to inform their budget.

It remains to be seen how the framework will be incorporated into the next budget, with Mr Chalmers claiming that it will “help inform and broaden the economic debate”.

Shadow Treasure Angus Taylor criticised the framework for being ‘out-of-date’, with some of the data being sourced from prior to the pandemic, based on the most recent research from the Australian Bureau of Statistics. 

“Australians struggling with the cost of living at the bowser, at the checkout and with their energy bills do not need a report from the Treasurer to tell them how much better life was two years ago,” Mr Taylor said. 

The Measuring What Matters framework is the first of three releases that are designed to inform future federal budgets, and will be followed by the Employment White Paper on opportunities and the Intergenerational Report on the future of our economy. 

The Measuring What Matters dashboard can be found here.