NZ boasts about aid boost and wellbeing

New Zealand has returned its first sustainable development report card to the United Nations, with a huge emphasis on the Government’s wellbeing framework.

This voluntary review of its progress towards the agenda 2030 ‘‘sustainable development goals’’ (SDGS) saw the country boasting about its foreign aid boost, overall high standard of living, and work on measuring a wider set of social and economic indicators.

But it also acknowledged significant differences in outcomes for Ma¯ ori and Pacific people, as well as sole-parent households and people with disabilities. New Zealand still had a way to go to achieving all 17 goals – and according to a separate monitoring report was actually heading backwards in some areas.

The sprawling set of 17 goals was established by the UN in 2015. They cover everything from the extremes of poverty to marine ecology to public transport availability.

Ambassador Craig Hawke delivered the voluntary review to a meeting of the UN’S Economic and Social Council in New York, despite Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters currently being in the United States. Several other countries sent highly ranked ministers.

‘‘New Zealanders have overall good levels of wellbeing,’’ Hawke said. ‘‘But we need to ensure that this is shared equally.’’

In a video accompanying the review, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern emphasised how Treasury’s work with the Wellbeing Budget and the Living Standards Framework matched up with the SDGS.

Ardern said this would be key to making sure that New Zealand – which was ‘‘blessed as a nation’’ – shared prosperity across society.

‘‘We also have our share of challenges. One of these is to make sure that all New Zealanders have a great standard of living and strong sense of wellbeing,’’ Ardern said.

Hawke then detailed the 2019 ‘‘Wellbeing Budget’’ and listed its five priorities.

Much was made of the increase in aid spending from 2018, with the $714m boost mentioned four separate times across the written report. Yet New Zealand aid spend remains below the UN target for a developed country of 0.7 per cent of gross national income.

An independent report on New Zealand’s SDG achievement noted that only one of the 17 goals – clean energy – had been achieved, and some were heading in the wrong direction.

It still rated New Zealand highly, however, ranking the country as 11th in the world on sustainable development, ahead of Australia, Britain, and the United States, but behind a cluster of European countries.

The reporter’s attendance at the United Nations was supported by the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat and UNDP Pacific Office. The net weekly amount allocated to an individual over the age of 18 receiving the Supported Living Payment is just $269.15.

Can those receiving a social welfare benefit afford to live in New Zealand?

Many are turning to a life of minor crime by committing benefit fraud, but it’s not necessarily their fault, Auckland Action Against Poverty co-ordinator Ricardo Menendez March says.

‘‘When people are faced with a decision on whether to eat or pay the rent, it is no surprise that some people will end up having to find creative ways of getting the most out of the system because the system itself is not enabling people to live a dignified life.

‘‘The Government is actively creating criminals by forcing people to make these decisions.’’

An anonymous individual told Stuff they had to break the law in order to afford living expenses after falling ill and relying on Jobseeker Support, which they described as ‘‘a bloody joke’’.

They went from earning about $1100 a week to a ‘‘measly’’ $240.

‘‘It was the biggest financial blow I had been dealt in my adult life – $240 a week is not liveable.’’

Menendez March said this type of fraudulent activity did not come as a shock. ‘‘That speaks more about our system needing reform . . . When there’s so many barriers to access adequate income, it is no surprise people feel like they cannot be honest [with] Work and Income because you lose if you’re honest ... and then you lose if you’re dishonest.’’

So what’s the solution? As per the Ministry of Social Development’s

Stuff asked the National Party’s social development spokeswoman, Louise Upston, if the current benefit levels were adequate.

Although she didn’t answer the questions directly, she stated National’s belief that the benefit should be a ‘‘short-term measure while people get back up on their own two feet’’.

However, she agreed that ‘‘New Zealanders are feeling the pain from increased cost of living’’.

Sepuloni’s office explained that it would take time to address financial issues in the welfare system ‘‘after years of underinvestment’’. ‘‘We need to take a careful and considered approach.’’