Treasurer defends ‘last century’ report data

Treasurer defends ‘last century’ report data

Jim Chalmers has conceded his long-awaited wellbeing finances wants additional finetuning following criticism the report used out-of-date information to assist a few of its findings.

The Treasurer launched the primary Measuring What Matters report, modelled on comparable initiatives in New Zealand, Canada and Germany, on Friday.

It tracks 50 indicators protecting well being, safety, sustainability, cohesiveness and prosperity.

However, the report used outdated information launched earlier than the speedy tightening of rates of interest on householders, all whereas declaring householders are discovering it simpler to repay mortgages.

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Camera IconJim Chalmers acknowledged the wellbeing finances wanted refinement. NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman Credit: News Corp Australia

On psychological well being, the framework’s psychological well being indicator stated Australians’ psychological well being was “stable”. But the report used information from 2005 and 2018 surveys, nicely earlier than the pandemic and lockdowns ignited an uptick in folks experiencing psychological misery.

Speaking on Friday morning, Dr Chalmers rejected strategies the report wasn’t as much as scratch however acknowledged additional iterations required refinement.

“We haven’t had a national wellbeing framework before, this is the first attempt of it. And one of the things that it makes clear is that we need to do collectively a better job of measuring our progress over time,” he advised ABC’s RN.

“We know where the gaps in the data are, we know where we need it to be more regular, we know where we need to fill those gaps.”

Opposition house affairs spokesman James Paterson stated the information was so old-fashioned it “might as well been from the last century”.

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Camera IconAustralians live longer than they have been twenty years in the past. Credit: Supplied

But Dr Chalmer’s stated the aim of the report was to take a look at broader traits over an extended time frame and “refocus” the financial dialog to be about folks’s wellbeing.

The report discovered that previously twenty years, Australians has an improved life expectancy, larger incomes and job satisfaction and folks have been extra accepting of variety.

But there was the next variety of Australians residing with persistent circumstances, with some discovering it troublesome to entry well being, care and assist providers.

Source: www.perthnow.com.au