The Australian Capital Territory (ACT) Government’s Wellbeing Framework was launched in March 2020 following an extensive process of community consultation with nearly 3 000 Canberrans over an eight-month period in 2019-20. The Framework’s purpose is to bring greater attention to indicators of social progress and sustainability alongside economic issues, and to help form a clearer picture of the broader effects that policy and non-policy factors have on people, businesses, places and systems within the Territory. The Framework and accompanying evidence and tools also helped to respond to a government commitment to ensure a more “holistic approach to government budgets, decision-making and reporting, including consistent, meaningful and measurable strategic and accountability indicators based on wellbeing” enshrined in a Parliamentary and Government Agreement for the 10th Legislative Assembly for the Territory from 2020-2024.

The ACT Wellbeing Framework comprises twelve domains of well-being, reflecting key factors that impact on the quality of life of Canberrans: Health; Safety; Living Standards; Housing and home; Environment and climate; Social connection; Education and lifelong learning; Time; Identity and belonging; Governance and institutions; Access and connectivity; and Economy. Sitting outside the domains, but at the heart of the Framework, is a Personal Wellbeing Indicator reflecting the overall wellbeing of the ACT community over time, and based on seven items of satisfaction, each one corresponding to a particular aspect of an individual’s quality of life: standard of living, health, what they are achieving in life, relationships, safety, community-connectedness, and future security. The Framework is measured through a data dashboard and open data portal comprised of 56 indicators.

Additionally, the ACT Government promotes the use of Wellbeing Impact Assessments (WIAs) at the early stages of policy, programme, and project development to assess potential impacts on various dimensions of wellbeing and identify groups that may be disproportionately or adversely affected by a given policy Policymakers are encouraged to utilize a structured template, which requires them to outline the potential impacts of a proposal, identify affected individuals and communities, specify the wellbeing domains likely to be impacted, provide the evidence base for these assessments, and establish success measures and an evaluation plan. By fostering early consideration of impacts on different groups, the WIA process emphasises the importance of addressing equity, inclusion, vertical and horizontal inequalities, and the needs of future generations. To help the public service analyse and consider these well-being impacts, information sessions are training are provided.

WIAs are used for Cabinet Submissions and Budget proposals and help to design policies and programmes of the ACT Government. Measuring the wellbeing outcomes of these and other population-specific programs allows the government and communities to better understand the diversity of wellbeing across the population and provides insights into how gaps in outcomes and opportunities can be addressed.

By embedding the Wellbeing Framework into the policy cycle, through the Impact Assessment tool and other approaches, the government aims to enhance the consideration of well-being outcomes across all areas, fostering more informed and multidimensional decision-making that prioritises the needs and well-being of the community.

Australian Capital Territory Government (undated), “Embeding wellbeing in government decision making”, https://www.act.gov.au/wellbeing/wellbeing-framework/embedding-wellbeing (web page)

Australian Capital Territory Government (2020), Wellbeing Impact Assessment, https://www.act.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0008/1910978/Wellbeing-Impact-Assessment.pdf

Australian Capital Territory Government (2020), ACT Wellbeing Framework, https://www.act.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0004/1498198/ACT-wellbeing-framework.pdf

Australian Capital Territory Government (2020), ACT Wellbeing Framework Consultation Report, https://www.act.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0012/1499187/ACT-Wellbeing-Framework-Consultation-Report.pdf

Australian Capital Territory Government (2020), Parliamentary and Governing Agreement: 10^th Legislative Assembly Australian Capital Territory, https://www.cmtedd.act.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0003/1654077/Parliamentary-Agreement-for-the-10th-Legislative-Assembly.pdf

OECD (2024), How’s Life in your country? Country notes, Australia, https://www.oecd.org/en/publications/how-s-life-2024-country-notes_2603b12c-en/australia_a7123970-en.html