title: Wellbeing and policy in New Zealand: From a wellbeing framework to a government-wide approach

authors: Weijers, Dan M.

abstract: This chapter summarises the modern state of wellbeing and public policy in New Zealand. The evolution of New Zealand’s wellbeing approach to policy is explained, key learnings from the process are discussed, and specific action points to further wellbeing and public policy in New Zealand and around the world are suggested. New Zealand often ranks in or near the top 10 nations on international wellbeing metrics and is often looked to as one of the leaders in wellbeing policy. In 2011, the New Zealand Treasury reinterpreted its goal to that of promoting the wellbeing of New Zealanders - publishing the Living Standards Framework, a new model of wellbeing for policy-making. Progress on this was greatly aided in 2018 when a change in government brought with it an explicit wellbeing approach to the national budget and reporting processes, much of which was codified into new laws. The Living Standards Framework and its associated wellbeing tools have continued to evolve. Key innovations include an interactive dashboard of wellbeing data and a wellbeing Cost Benefit Analysis tool that covers many domains and indicators of wellbeing. This has resulted in greater collaboration between government agencies and more transparent reporting on the inner workings and results of public policies. But more could be done, including taking environmental concerns more seriously, fixing data gaps, reporting on wellbeing data more frequently, further training and teamwork for policy-makers, and setting up a citizens assembly on wellbeing and public policy.

text: Wellbeing and policy in New Zealand: From a wellbeing framework to a government-wide approach This chapter summarises the modern state of wellbeing and public policy in New Zealand. The evolution of New Zealand’s wellbeing approach to policy is explained, key learnings from the process are discussed, and specific action points to further wellbeing and public policy in New Zealand and around the world are suggested. New Zealand often ranks in or near the top 10 nations on international wellbeing metrics and is often looked to as one of the leaders in wellbeing policy. In 2011, the New Zealand Treasury reinterpreted its goal to that of promoting the wellbeing of New Zealanders - publishing the Living Standards Framework, a new model of wellbeing for policy-making. Progress on this was greatly aided in 2018 when a change in government brought with it an explicit wellbeing approach to the national budget and reporting processes, much of which was codified into new laws. The Living Standards Framework and its associated wellbeing tools have continued to evolve. Key innovations include an interactive dashboard of wellbeing data and a wellbeing Cost Benefit Analysis tool that covers many domains and indicators of wellbeing. This has resulted in greater collaboration between government agencies and more transparent reporting on the inner workings and results of public policies. But more could be done, including taking environmental concerns more seriously, fixing data gaps, reporting on wellbeing data more frequently, further training and teamwork for policy-makers, and setting up a citizens assembly on wellbeing and public policy.

year: 2025

title: Consistent predator-prey biomass scaling in complex food webs

authors: Perkins, Daniel M.

subjects: Animals

abstract: The ratio of predator-to-prey biomass is a key element of trophic structure that is typically investigated from a food chain perspective, ignoring channels of energy transfer (e.g. omnivory) that may govern community structure. Here, we address this shortcoming by characterising the biomass structure of 141 freshwater, marine and terrestrial food webs, spanning a broad gradient in community biomass. We test whether sub-linear scaling between predator and prey biomass (a potential signal of density-dependent processes) emerges within ecosystem types and across levels of biological organisation. We find a consistent, sub-linear scaling pattern whereby predator biomass scales with the total biomass of their prey with a near ¾-power exponent within food webs - i.e. more prey biomass supports proportionally less predator biomass. Across food webs, a similar sub-linear scaling pattern emerges between total predator biomass and the combined biomass of all prey within a food web. These general patterns in trophic structure are compatible with a systematic form of density dependence that holds among complex feeding interactions across levels of organization, irrespective of ecosystem type.

text: Consistent predator-prey biomass scaling in complex food webs The ratio of predator-to-prey biomass is a key element of trophic structure that is typically investigated from a food chain perspective, ignoring channels of energy transfer (e.g. omnivory) that may govern community structure. Here, we address this shortcoming by characterising the biomass structure of 141 freshwater, marine and terrestrial food webs, spanning a broad gradient in community biomass. We test whether sub-linear scaling between predator and prey biomass (a potential signal of density-dependent processes) emerges within ecosystem types and across levels of biological organisation. We find a consistent, sub-linear scaling pattern whereby predator biomass scales with the total biomass of their prey with a near ¾-power exponent within food webs - i.e. more prey biomass supports proportionally less predator biomass. Across food webs, a similar sub-linear scaling pattern emerges between total predator biomass and the combined biomass of all prey within a food web. These general patterns in trophic structure are compatible with a systematic form of density dependence that holds among complex feeding interactions across levels of organization, irrespective of ecosystem type.

year: 2022-08-25

title: Outdoor learning in Aotearoa New Zealand: voices past, present, and future

authors: Cosgriff, Marg

subjects: culture

abstract: Many of the principles and practices that have influenced outdoor education in Aotearoa New Zealand find their genesis in the United Kingdom and North America. In recent times, many of these foundational assumptions have been called into question. This paper highlights how emerging 'local' voices are questioning and reframing how outdoor education is conceptualised and practiced. In large part this is due to a sense of distinctiveness borne from the bicultural foundations that underpin governance and policy-making. This paper explores how outdoor educators are developing pedagogies that acknowledge the particularities of our context, particularly the bicultural foundation of Aotearoa New Zealand. The paper highlights how social and cultural influences shape educational policy and how outdoor educators are responding, both theoretically and practically, to meet the needs of learners in an increasingly diverse society.

text: Outdoor learning in Aotearoa New Zealand: voices past, present, and future Many of the principles and practices that have influenced outdoor education in Aotearoa New Zealand find their genesis in the United Kingdom and North America. In recent times, many of these foundational assumptions have been called into question. This paper highlights how emerging 'local' voices are questioning and reframing how outdoor education is conceptualised and practiced. In large part this is due to a sense of distinctiveness borne from the bicultural foundations that underpin governance and policy-making. This paper explores how outdoor educators are developing pedagogies that acknowledge the particularities of our context, particularly the bicultural foundation of Aotearoa New Zealand. The paper highlights how social and cultural influences shape educational policy and how outdoor educators are responding, both theoretically and practically, to meet the needs of learners in an increasingly diverse society.

year: 2012