Tairāwhiti wellbeing survey shows economic and environmental concerns on the rise

A sunrise shot taken by Gisborne Herald photographer Paul Rickard from Midway Beach. Climate change and environment concerns have risen strongly in the second Tairāwhiti Wellbeing Survey by Trust Tairāwhiti.

Economic and environmental concerns have grown but the sense of community connection remains strong, according to results from Trust Tairāwhiti’s second Tairāwhiti Wellbeing Survey (TWS).

The aim of the survey is to  better understand the wellbeing and needs of local communities through gathering and analysing data.

This data is benchmarked against He Rangitapu He Tohu Ora — Trust Tairāwhiti’s   wellbeing framework — and is used to help inform the trust’s operations and investment decisions.

It is also freely available as a resource for local and national organisations and communities.

“Once again there was strong uptake over eight weeks, with 833 weighted results,” Trust Tairāwhiti data and information lead Malcolm Mersham said. “Thank you to everyone who took part in this important regional project.”

The first wellbeing survey closed in December 2022 before Cyclone Gabrielle and other severe weather events hit the region.

The 2023 survey was completed at the end of last year.

“So we were interested to see if this would result in any significant swings in sentiment about highly topical issues,” Mr Mersham said.

“The analysis paints a complex picture. While Tairāwhiti people express strong, positive sentiment about social connections and community, significant challenges exist for the environment and in economic opportunity, housing affordability and future outlook.

“The data reflecting knowledge, communities, relationships and cultural identity is largely tracking similarly year on year, but we are seeing notable shifts in how people are feeling about the economy (ōhanga) and environment (taiao).”

Across economic indicators, confidence was down markedly, he said.

“For example, 36 percent say Tairāwhiti is not a good place to start or run a business — up from 24 percent in 2022 — while 39 percent of people don’t believe Tairāwhiti has diverse employment opportunities — up from 29 percent the year before.

“Given what our region has been through in the last year, it’s not surprising that environmental and climate concerns have also risen sharply,” Mr Mersham said.

“People are worried about the state of local rivers, lakes, beaches, land and soil, native bush and animals — more so than the rest of New Zealand.

“When asked about the impact of climate change on Tairāwhiti and its residents, 73 percent of respondents said they are ‘worried’ or ‘very worried’ — a big jump from 56 percent in 2022.

“In day-to-day life, 31 percent of the population feel unsafe in their own neighbourhoods at night.

“Across a wide range of demographics, 42 percent of respondents have experienced discrimination — a drop from the previous year, but still well above the national average.

“Financial strain is clear, with 37 percent of the population having not enough or just enough money each month.

“Only 23 percent of respondents think that Tairāwhiti is an attractive place for young people to live and work, down from 35 percent just a year ago.”

Mr Mersham said despite these and many other concerns, there were important positive aspects.

“Residents report a strong sense of community, with social support in times of need remaining far better in Tairāwhiti than the national average.

“Te reo proficiency is also significantly higher than the national average.

“People in Tairāwhiti continue to have about average life satisfaction and sense of control over their lives, and 65 percent of the population believe Tairāwhiti is a great place to live.”

Looking to the future:

· 53% of respondents don’t believe our economy will be more diverse and resilient in the future. This is up from 41% in 2022.

· 50% don’t think the natural environment will be healthier in the future, compared with 38% in 2022.

· 41% of the population don’t believe whānau and families will have the resources they need to thrive in the future, compared with 32% in 2022.

· 72% of the population don’t believe housing will be more affordable in the future.

· Communities are concerned about their ability to have more influence on decision-making.

“Statistics NZ already captures wellbeing data through their biannual NZ General Social Survey (NZGSS), but this data doesn’t accurately reflect our region due to the small sample size from Tairāwhiti.

“The Tairāwhiti Wellbeing Survey is a condensed version of the NZGSS, with questions around life satisfaction, income, health, business opportunities, connectedness in the community and perceptions of the environment.”

Full results of the Wellbeing Survey can be viewed online at tairawhitidata.nz