Jacinda Ardern's 'wellbeing' budget spreads good vibes in New Zealand

This is the best tl;dr I could make, original reduced by 71%. (I'm a bot)

New Zealand unveiled its inaugural "Wellbeing" budget Thursday in a move set to cement Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern's reputation for compassionate leadership in the wake of the Christchurch mosque massacre.

Ardern announced increased spending on mental health, indigenous welfare and child poverty in a budget she described as a world-first attempt to change the way economic progress is measured.

"Today we have laid the foundation for not just one wellbeing budget, but a different approach for government decision-making altogether." While dismissed by critics as marketing spin, Ardern views the budget as a way to deliver the reformist agenda she campaigned on in the 2017 election.

The New Zealand leader, widely praised for her respectful handling of the March shooting in which 51 Muslim worshippers were gunned down, said the budget put people before economic indicators.

Wellbeing factors, such as life expectancy, education levels, air quality and "a sense of belonging" were also factored into budget decisions.

Opposition finance spokeswoman Amy Adams described the approach as a gimmick, calling the budget "All spin and no substance".

Summary Source | FAQ | Feedback | Top keywords: budget^#1 Wellbeing^#2 economic^#3 information^#4 Makhlouf^#5

Post found in /r/worldnews.

NOTICE: This thread is for discussing the submission topic. Please do not discuss the concept of the autotldr bot here.