The definition of well-being is the state of being comfortable, healthy or happy. The definition of a budget is an estimate of income and expenditure for a set period of time. Looking at both definitions one could deduce that the successful outcome of well-being depends very much on the fiscal components in the Budget.
This is precisely where the Left get themselves into trouble. On two fronts.
First, they prioritise well-being ahead of fiscal responsibility.
Second, as is the habit with the Left, they dictate what they think is good for one’s well-being rather than listening to what the people say they need for their well-being.
Take a look at the Budget. No one can argue with the money given to mental health. Also funding for schools and hospitals is necessary. In reality, that is where the well-being part of the Budget started and finished. Apart from the $300 million fund to allow businesses to grow there is virtually nothing to incentivise business and therefore an increase in productivity which in turn adds to people’s well-being.
Encouraging people to stay on welfare is totally counterproductive. Putting $1 billion into Kiwirail is akin to funding a lost cause. It simply will not get a large number of trucks off the road. They will still be required to get goods to the rail and to the destination at the other end.
I doubt $150 per child will be sufficient to prevent schools from asking for voluntary funding. $81 million for Whanau Ora is questionable in that no matter how much money is thrown at Maori we never seem to see a significant turnaround in Maori statistics. This simply proves that a lot of well-being, in fact, comes from self-reliance.
As for being a brand new transformational concept that the world should sit up and take notice of it was a giant failure. Practically a joke. What was in it anyone on Whaleoil could have thought up in five minutes. Given another five minutes we could have improved upon it immensely. There is precious little of that which ie really required to improve a person’s well-being. Where were the business incentives to work hard to increase productivity? Nowhere to be seen.
A Budget totally lacking in vision from a government that is incapable of having one.