Last month The Policy Observatory hosted economics consulting firm Berl for a pre-budget breakfast briefing. We have video of the event for those unable to make it. The full session in one video is here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K0gfSDpNTqI&t=13s

But the presentations are also available as separate clips:

Amanda Reid on The Treasury’s approach to wellbeing and how it fits with wider government strategy https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N1LSkDkgy2A&t=3s

Nick Robertson on the economic context in which the government has designed the budget, including domestic and international risks facing the New Zealand economy https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y_Qo2cdNk2E&t=2s

Ganesh Nana’s presentation deals with the question of transformation, and is followed by the audience Q+A https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LE8S8i4mJMY&t=224s

Slides for the presentations are here: https://www.berl.co.nz/economic-insights/community-development-government-and-fiscal-policy/will-wellbeing-budget-be

Amanda Reid and Ganesh Nana have also written a reposne to the budget, which can be found on our Briefing Papers website: https://briefingpapers.co.nz/not-the-transformation-we-were-promised

This paper begins with a description of the budget’s elements, including its three pronged-approach, the government’s five (plus one) priorities, and the Living Standards Framework. Some budget programmes are highlighted to show how these elements come together. Then, a critique. Is this the transformation we have been waiting for?