Worldwide, there is growing recognition of the importance of embedding a wellbeing approach into decision making processes for people and planet to flourish. Government and non-government organisations are increasingly embedding consideration of wellbeing outcomes in their decision making and investment processes.

In 2024, over 220 attendees participated in person and online over the three day event, enabling decisions makers engaged in building wellbeing into policy and action across Australia to come together and share experiences, insights and inspiration for future activity. Details about the event, including a list of speakers and the full program, are available below.

Gavin Blake, a talented visual scribe, attended the event and his work can be seen below by clicking on the links. Speaker presentations and recordings will be published soon where permission is given.

You can access details about the 2022 forum by clicking here, where more than 100 attendees gathered for the first Building Wellbeing into Policy and Action in Australia forum.

 

Visual Scribe, Gavin Blake

To see the still images, click on the links below from each session.

Day 1: Building wellbeing into policy and action – the state of the nation

Keynote speech – Dr Ken Henry

Session: Wellbeing in Australia: the state of the nation

Session: Embedding wellbeing across government and society

Session: Wellbeing in policy and action across Australia’s governments

Session: Making the paradigm shift: getting to the wellbeing economy

Day 2: Wellbeing for people and planet

Session: Wellbeing for people and planet

Session: Wellbeing for all ages and for future generations Panel discussion

Session: Wellbeing and resilience in the land of drought and flooding rains Panel discussion

Keynote speech – Kate Scrivens

Wellbeing across diverse regions: a wellbeing agenda outside the cities Phil Duncan Betty-Ann Bryce

Day 3: Setting Australia’s wellbeing agenda

Session: Setting Australia’s wellbeing agenda: what do we need?

Session: Measuring the right things: best practice to support decision making – Rosemary Goodyear, Bec Glauert Julian Szafraniec

Closing keynote – Professor Emerita Julianne Schultz

 

Speakers and presentations

Download speaker bios and talk summaries here.

Download the full conference program here.

Speakers included decision makers and leaders from Australia and internationally, bringing together perspectives from government, academic, corporate and not-for-profit sectors.

Presentation slides are available below by clicking on the word ‘slides’ next to each speaker’s name and presentation below (for those who have given permission to share). Presentation recordings will be available by clicking ‘recording’ next to the presentation name and panel discussion recordings will be available by clicking on ‘panel recording’ next to the panel name in the relevant conference day and session.

Day 1: Building wellbeing into policy and action – the state of the nation
Hon Dr Jim Chalmers MP, Treasurer of Australia	Video message	Recording
Dr Ken Henry AC FASSA FAIIA	Keynote speech	Recording, Transcript
Session 1: Wellbeing in Australia: the state of the nation
Kate Lycett (SEED Lifespan, Deakin University)	The Australian Unity Wellbeing Index	Recording
Catie Bradbear (Closing the Gap Review)	Improving life outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people	Slides
Jacki Schirmer & Mel Mylek (University of Canberra)	The Wellbeing of different Australians in 2024	Recording Slides
Kate Lycett, Catie Bradbear, Jacki Schirmer, Mel Mylek	Panel: Wellbeing in Australia: the state of the nation
Session 2: Embedding wellbeing across government and society
Cressida Gaukroger (Centre for Policy Development)	It’s not what you do, it’s the way that you do it: Embedding a wellbeing approach into government	Recording
Mary-Kathryn Adams (CEO, Simetrica-Jacobs)	sons from around the globe: Leveraging the power of human-centred decision-making through wellbeing	Slides
Siobhan Henderson & Adam Vise (Australian Unity)	Measuring and investing in wellbeing – an enterprise perspective	Recording Slides
Cressida Gaukroger, Mary-Kathryn, Siobhan Henderson, Adam Vise	Panel: Embedding wellbeing across government and society
Session 3: Wellbeing in policy and action across Australia’s governments
Kristen Baker (Commonwealth Treasury)	Measuring what matters
Robert Gotts & Peter Robinson (ACT Government, Wellbeing Framework)	ACT Wellbeing Framework and budgeting	Recording Slides
Michelle Morgan (Tasmania, Department of Premier and Cabinet)	Progress of Tasmania’s wellbeing framework	Recording Slides
Brenton Caffin (SA, Department of the Premier and Cabinet)	Embedding wellbeing in South Australia – recent experience	Recording South Australian Economic Statement
Xuan Deng (NSW Treasury)	NSW Performance and Wellbeing Framework	Recordings Slides
Kristen Baker, Peter Robinson, Robert Gotts, Michelle Morgan, Brenton Caffin, Xuan Deng	Panel: Wellbeing in policy and action across Australia’s governments
Session 4: Making the paradigm shift: getting to the wellbeing economy
Warwick Smith (Centre for Policy Development)	What a wellbeing economy can do for all Australians	Recording
Warwick Smith, Katherine Trebeck (Next Economy, WEAll), Ken Henry	Panel: Getting to the wellbeing economy	Panel recording
WEAll Australia Hub launch		Recording
Day 2: Wellbeing for people and planet
Session 1: Wellbeing for people and plant
Tony Capon (Monash Sustainable Development Institute)	Wellbeing for people and planet	Recording
Arunima Malik (University of Sydney)	Environmental and Social spillover impacts embodied in international supply chains	Recording Slides
Chris Cosgrove (Sustenance Asia)	Embedding wellbeing in sustainability reporting	Recording Slides
Tony Capon, Arunima Malik, Chris Cosgrove	Panel: Wellbeing for people and plant
Session 2: Wellbeing for all ages and for future generations
Roslyn Dundas (ARACY)	The Nest Effect: Weaving Child Wellbeing in National Policy	Recording
Carolyn Wallace (VicHealth)	Future Healthy Countdown 2030: Measuring what matters for good health and wellbeing for all of Australia’s children and young people	Recording Slides
Taylor Dee Hawkins (Foundations for Tomorrow)	A uniquely Australian approach to future generations policy	Recording
Anne Hollands (National Children’s Commissioner), Roslyn Dundas, Carolyn Wallace, Taylor Dee Hawkins	Panel: Wellbeing for all ages and for future generations	Panel recording
Session 3: Wellbeing and resilience in the land of drought and flooding rains
Jacki Schirmer (University of Canberra)	Early insights for more resilient communities	Recording Slides
Lisa Gibbs (University of Melbourne)	Protecting wellbeing in times of climate change & increased disaster exposure	Recording Slides
John Richardson (Australian Institute for Disaster Resilience)	It’s all about being well	Recording
Jacki Schirmer, Lisa Gibbs, John Richardson	Panel: Wellbeing and resilience in the land of drought and flooding rains	Panel recording
Kate Scrivens (OECD Centre for Well-Being, Inclusion, Sustainability and Equal Opportunity)	Keynote speech
Session 4: Wellbeing across diverse regions: a wellbeing agenda outside the cities
Phil Duncan (Galambany Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra)	Keynote speech: Water, Country and First Nations wellbeing	Recording Slides
Betty-Ann Bryce (Regional and Rural Policy Unit, OECD)	Applying a rural and indigenous lens to wellbeing to enable more effective policy actions
Geoff Woolcock (Australian National Development Index)	Building wellbeing into regional decision-making: supporting and enabling Australia’s rural leaders	Recording Slides
Natalie Egleton (FRRR)	Investing in rural wellbeing: the critical ingredient for vibrant places and resilient economies	Slides
Phil Duncan, Betty-Ann Bryce, Geoff Woolcock, Natalie Egleton, Susi Tegan (National Rural Health Alliance)	Panel: Wellbeing across diverse regions: a wellbeing agenda outside the cities
Day 3: Wellbeing for people and planet
Session 1: Setting Australia’s wellbeing agenda: what do we need?
Mike Salvaris (ANDI, University of Melbourne)	Wellbeing: good policy or democratic keystone?	Recording Slides
Benson Saulo (Liberal Candidate for Macnamara)	Shaping Systems	Recording
Kate Chaney MP	Creating a mandate for a federal wellbeing agenda	Recording
Mike Salvaris, Benson Saulo, Kate Chaney MP	Panel: Setting Australia’s wellbeing agenda: what do we need?	Recording
Session 2: Measuring the right things: best practice to support decision making
Rosemary Goodyear	Data that improves lives today and for generations to come	Recording Slides
Bec Glauert (Australian Child and Youth Wellbeing Atlas)	The Australian Child and Youth Wellbeing Atlas: Democratising data for improved decision making and advocacy	Recording Slides
Julian Szafraniec (SGS Economics and Planning)	SGS Cities and Regions Wellbeing Index – Learnings from an objective approach	Recording Slides
Bec Glauert, Julian Szafraniec	Panel: Measuring the right things: best practice to support decision making	Panel recording
Professor Emerita Julianne Schultz AM FAHA FRSN	Closing Keynote: Learning from the past to reimagine the future	Recording

 

Contact us

For more information about the forum or registering for the forum, email wellbeingsummit@canberra.edu.au or call 1800 981 499.

 

2024 Sponsors

 

 

The forum is supported by a committed group of planners who are from University of Canberra, Australian National Development Index (ANDI), Australia Social Value Bank, Centre for Policy Development, Monash Sustainability Development Institute and Deakin University.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2022 forum

 

Forum 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 presenter’s name, and presentation recordings can be viewed by clicking the word ‘presentation’ next to each speaker (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) – Presentation
• 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) – Presentation
• 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) – Presentation
• Julia Keady (X Factor Collective) – Presentation
• 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) – Presentation
• 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) – Presentation
• 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) – Presentation
• Rob Tanton (University of Canberra)
• Sandro Demaio (VicHealth, discussing the recently launched Wellbeing Economy Toolkit and Wellbeing Economy website) – Presentation
• 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 word ‘presentation’ next to the discussion topic and 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? – Presentation

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

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. – Presentation

Day 2:

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

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

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

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

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? – Presentation

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.