The Building Wellbeing into Policy and Action in Australia workshop, was held at the University of Canberra in November 2022. The workshop focused on the diversity of wellbeing initiatives currently happening in Australia across the government, not-for-profit and private sectors.

Organisations across Australia are increasingly embedding consideration of wellbeing outcomes in their decision making and investment processes. We heard examples of how this is being done by different governments, not-for-profit organisations and community groups, as well as in industries such as agriculture. Participants discussed key opportunities, challenges and needs going forward in Australia, identifying priorities for future action.

Through the workshop, we aim to build a network of people interested in working together to continue building wellbeing into policy and action across Australia.

 

Workshop Presentations

Speakers

We heard from inspiring speakers who discussed the different approaches being used in Australia and internationally to build policy and decision making processes that best support societal wellbeing, from local to national scale.

Presentation slides from the workshop are available below by clicking on the presenters name, and presentation recordings are available by clicking on the work ‘presentation’ next to each presenter (for those who have given permission to share).

• Arthur Grimes (Chair of Wellbeing and Public Policy, Victoria University of Wellbeing)
• Ben Latham and Libby Buckingham (Victorian Council of Social Service)
• Cressida Gaukroger (lead author of the Centre for Policy Development’s recent report Redefining progress: global lessons for an Australian approach to wellbeing) – Presentation
• Gemma Wood (Australian Youth Development Index – Presentation
• Geoff Woolcock (Australian National Development Index)
• Helen Thomas (Wellbeing SA)
• Jacki Schirmer (University of Canberra, leader of the Regional Wellbeing Survey, Carer Wellbeing Survey and Living Well in the ACT region survey) – Presentation
• Joyce Cleary (Deakin University)
• Julia Keady (X Factor Collective)
• Julie Boulton (Monash University)
• Kate Lycett (Deakin University)
• Kate Reynolds with Robert Gotts (National Student Wellbeing Project)
• Kate Scrivens (OECD Centre for Well-Being, Inclusion, Sustainability and Equal Opportunity) – Presentation 
• Katherine Trebeck (co-founder of the Wellbeing Economy Alliance and WEAll Scotland)
• Kim Houghton (Regional Australia Institute)
• Lauren Binns (ABS) – Presentation
• Libby Lester, Ami Seivwright and Sebastian Kocar  (University of Tasmania, discussing The Tasmania Project and Good Life Initiative)
• Mark Wooden (Household Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia survey)
• Michelle Maloney (Australian Earth Laws Alliance and New Economy Network Australia)
• Mike Salvaris (Australian National Development Index) – Presentation
• Peter Gordon (Hands Across Canberra, Vital Signs initiative) – Community Foundations of Canada – Vital Signs, Hands Across Canberra – Vital Signs 
• Peter Robinson (ACT Government)
• Ray Lovett (Australian National University)
• Rebecca Huntley (89 Degrees East) – Presentation
• Richard Parsons (DPI NSW)
• Rob Tanton (University of Canberra)
• Sandro Demaio (VicHealth, discussing the recently launched Wellbeing Economy Toolkit and Wellbeing Economy website)
• Stuart Crosthwaite (Australian Rural Leadership Foundation)
• Susi Tegen (National Rural Health Alliance)
• Tim Ogden (Treasury)

Q&A Panel Discussions 

Q&A panel discussions were held after each session of the workshop and covered a range of topics. Recordings of the discussions are available by clicking on the discussion topic next to the names of the panel.

Day 1: 

Mike Salvaris, Rob Tanton, Cressida Gaukroger – Discussion: What are the challenges and opportunities for Australia as it increases investment in wellbeing measurement, policy and action? 

Tim Ogden, Peter Robinson, Helen Thomas, Sandro Demaio – Discussion: Challenges and opportunities in the government sector for building wellbeing into policy and action.

Joyce Cleary, Gemma Wood, Kate Reynolds and Robert Gotts – Discussion: Challenges and opportunities for building wellbeing into policy and action for children, carers, those with disability, and other specific groups. 

Day 2:

Michelle Maloney, Julie Boulton, Rebecca Huntley, Jacki Schirmer – Discussion: Sustainable wellbeing in a changing climate 

Mark Wooden, Ray Lovett, Kate Lycett, Lauren Binns – Discussion: Challenges and opportunities for data collection and measurement 

Jacki Schirmer, Kim Houghton, Susi Tegen, Stuart Crosthwaite – Discussion: Wellbeing into policy and action for all regions 

Ben Lathan, Libby Buckingham, Julia Keady, Peter Gordon, Andrew Yule, Susie Maloney – Discussion: Lessons from not-for-profit and community sector experience 

Day 3: 

Arthur Grimes, Geoff Woolcock, Richard Parsons, Michael Gadiel, Libby Lester, Ami Seivwright & Sebastian Kocar –  Discussion: What are the best paths to building wellbeing into policy and action?

Workshop Program

The workshop provided a packed program –  download the workshop program here.

Monday 21 November

9.30-10.00: Wellbeing in politics and policy: why do we need wellbeing-focused decision making?

The speaker in this session was Mike Salvaris from the Australian National Development Index.

10.00-10.30: International perspectives: lessons for building wellbeing into policy and action

The speaker in this session was Kate Scrivens, OECD Centre for Well-Being, Inclusion, Sustainability and Equal Opportunity.

11.00-12.30: From measurement to action: lessons from international experience.

We heard from speakers including Rob Tanton with Jacki Schirmer (University of Canberra) and Cressida Gaukroger (lead author of the Centre for Policy Development’s recent report reviewing lessons from international experience for wellbeing initiatives in Australia).

Discussion: what are the challenges and opportunities for Australia as it increases investment in wellbeing measurement, policy and action? 

1.30-3.20 Wellbeing into policy and action across Australia’s governments – Session 1

Speakers from the Australian, State and Territory governments, those in the university and private sector who are working with different jurisdictions, talked about their work developing a wellbeing economy, wellbeing frameworks, and wellbeing-centric decision making. Speakers included Tim Ogden (Treasury), Peter Robinson(ACT Government), Helen Thomas (Wellbeing SA), and Sandro Demaio (VicHealth).

Discussion: challenges and opportunities in the government sector for building wellbeing into policy and action

3.40-5.00pm Wellbeing into policy and action for specific sectors and groups

We heard about how different groups are developing wellbeing-focused approaches to policy and action to support the wellbeing of groups including children and carers. Speakers included Joyce Cleary (Deakin University), Gemma Wood (Australian Youth Development Index, Numbers and People Synergy), and Kate Reynolds with Robert Gotts (National Student Wellbeing Project).

Discussion: Challenges and opportunities for building wellbeing into policy and action for children, carers, those with disability, and other specific groups.

5.00-6.00pm Social networking drinks

 

Tuesday 22 November

9.00-10.30: Sustainability, climate change, disasters and wellbeing

In this session we learnt about how we can develop Earth-centred wellbeing approaches, and maintain wellbeing through disasters, from speakers including Michelle Maloney (Australian Earth Laws Alliance and New Economy Network Australia), Julie Boulton (Monash University) and Rebecca Huntley (89 Degrees East).

Discussion: Sustainable wellbeing in a changing climate

11.00-1.00pm: From measurement to action: from data to action across Australia

We heard about the different groups who are measuring wellbeing across Australia using surveys and statistical data collections. We found out where you can access information, and help identify key needs going forward. Speakers include Mark Wooden (Household Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia survey), Ray Lovett (Australian National University), Kate Lycett (Deakin University) and Lauren Binns (ABS).

Discussion: Challenges and opportunities for data collection and measurement

1.30-3.30 Urban, regional, rural and remote – wellbeing from all regions

How do we build wellbeing into policy and action across Australia’s diverse regions? We heard from speakers including Jacki Schirmer (University of Canberra), Kim Houghton (Regional Australia Institute), Susi Tegen (National Rural Health Alliance) and Stuart Crosthwaite (Australian Rural Leadership Foundation).

Discussion: Wellbeing into policy and action for all regions

3.50-5.10pm Wellbeing into policy and action for all: not-for-profit and community sector
experience

We heard about how not-for-profit and community groups are working to build wellbeing into policy and action, and the challenges and opportunities experienced. Speakers include Ben Latham and Libby Buckingham (Victorian Council of Social Service), Julia Keady (X Factor Collective), Peter Gordon (Hands Across Canberra, Vital Signs initiative) and Andrew Yule (Jesuit Social Services).

Discussion: Lessons from not-for-profit and community sector experience

6.30pm Dinner – Societal wellbeing: what’s the economy got to do with it? Speaker Katherine Trebeck

Wednesday 23 November

9.00-11.00am Wellbeing into policy and action across Australia’s jurisdictions – Session 2

Speakers from the Australian, State and Territory governments, those in the university and private sector who are working with different jurisdictions, talked about their work developing a wellbeing economy, wellbeing frameworks, and wellbeing-centric decision making. Speakers include Arthur Grimes (Chair of Wellbeing and Public Policy, Victoria University of Wellbeing), Geoff Woolcock (Australian National Development Index), Richard Parsons (DPI NSW), Michael Gadiel (NSW Treasury) and Libby Lester, Ami Seivwright and Sebastian Kocar  (University of Tasmania).

Discussion: What are the best paths to building wellbeing into policy and action?

11.30-1.00pm Closing session: Identifying priorities for building wellbeing into policy and action and next steps

This session included group discussion to identify the priorities and needs for building wellbeing into policy and action in Australia going forward.

 

Contact us

Have questions? Contact us at wellbeingsummit@canberra.edu.au.