Government's wellbeing indicators to be released next month, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern confirms

Labour leader Jacinda Ardern with NZ First leader Winston Peters and Green Party co-leader James Shaw in Auckland last September. Photo / Greg Bowker

The Government expects to release next month the 36 measures it will use to show how it's progressing towards its goals.

Speaking to Newstalk ZB this morning following the Herald's story on the Government delaying the release of its first scorecard, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said the measures were expected to be released next month.

The Government has set 12 priority outcomes under the themes of economy, wellbeing and leadership, and will use about three indicators for each to monitor and assess progress.

Ardern acknowledged today that some things the Government wanted to achieve were unable to be measured but told Mike Hosking she had never claimed that they could be.

"What you're referring to is a speech I gave in September in which I said 'here are some of our goals we expect to put in to track our progress across the areas where you can'. Of course there are some areas where it's more difficult to do though."

Ardern gave a TEDx-style talk in Auckland in September, alongside Coalition partners New Zealand First and the Green Party, to launch the 12 priorities, a blueprint for the country.

She promised to report back to the public regularly on how they were progressing, with the first update due this month.

But it emerged this week that the Government had to start from scratch on some indicators, holding things up, because some priority areas weren't currently measured.

Today Ardern confirmed the indicators would be ready to go next month.

A spokesman for Ardern told the Herald last week that the first update had been delayed because at the time the work was begun on delivering the 12 priorities, it was realised there was a range of things that weren't measured.

"We have had to create some new indicators which has slowed down their public release," the spokesman said.

As well as the 36 indicators, a progress report and the first review of the work programme are also expected to be released soon.

The Government's themes

Build a productive, sustainable and inclusive economy
• Grow and share more fairly New Zealand's prosperity.
• Deliver responsible governance with a broader measure of success.
• Support thriving and sustainable regions.
• Transition to a clean, green and carbon-neutral New Zealand.

Improve the wellbeing of New Zealanders and their families
• Ensure everyone is earning, learning, caring or volunteering.
• Support healthier, safer, and more connected communities.
• Ensure everyone has a warm, dry home.
• Make New Zealand the best place in the world to be a child.

Provide new leadership by government
• Deliver transparent, transformative and compassionate government.
• Build closer partnerships with Māori.
• Value who we are as a country.
• Create an international reputation we can be proud of.