Measures of Australia’s Progress (MAP) Jon Hall Australian Bureau of Statistics Global Project, OECD

MAP The Australian Bureau of Statistics Measuring (2002).. then Measures of (2004 onwards) … Australia’s Progress Headline progress indicators to inform public debate

Look beyond Gross Domestic Product Look at economic, social and environmental concerns Present these areas side by side Readers make their own assessment about whether life in Australia is getting better Measuring Australia's Progress

Aimed at a general audience Covering the nation’s progress …. Not government performance Measuring Australia's Progress

What is Progress? The word progress (Latin: pro-gredi) refers to improvements, to move forward, to gain We can speak about economic progress, social progress, scientific progress but above all we can talk about human progress

What is Progress? Many views … “Is life getting better?”

What is Progress? Many views … But what is clear to me is A. Progress is multidimensional B. Progress means different things to different people

What is Progress?

Economy Society Environment

Dimensions of Progress Human wellbeing GovernanceCulture Economy Resource demand Human system Ecosystem condition Ecosystem Source: Robert Prescott-Allen, 2008

Resource Demand

Human system and Ecosystem, and the interaction between them (Resource demand) Resource demand - human pressure on the ecosystem (eg pollution, and resource use) Separates inputs (pressures) from outcomes (changes in condition) to measure the effects of human activities on the state of the ecosystem Resource Demand

Human System: Human Well-being

Measures ends or outcomes, including health, knowledge and understanding, freedom and security, relationships, work and play, and subjective well-being The other domains of the Human System represent the supports for human well- being and measure means or outputs - Economy, Governance, and Culture

Human System: Culture

Covers those elements that contribute to human wellbeing that cannot be included in Economy or Governance without distortion It comprises the creative, expressive, and symbolic aspects of a way of life, including art, crafts, food, games, gardens, literature, language, music and religion

Human System: Economy and Governance

Economy: the stocks and flows of an economy (income and wealth) Governance: democratic participation, access to services, order and safety, political rights, responsiveness, and transparency

Ecosystem: Ecosystem Condition

Ecosystem condition is the only domain for the Ecosystem It measures the ecosystem’s ends and outcomes, including air quality, atmosphere, land, freshwater, oceans and seas, and biodiversity

Progress Dimensions INDIVIDUALS THE ECONOMY & ECONOMIC RESOURCES THE ENVIRONMENT LIVING TOGETHER HEALTHNATIONAL INCOME THE NATURAL LANDSCAPE - BIODIVERSITY - LAND - INLAND WATERS FAMILY, COMMUNITY AND SOCIAL COHESION EDUCATION AND TRAINING ECONOMIC HARDSHIP THE AIR AND ATMOSPHERE CRIME WORKNATIONAL WEALTH OCEANS AND ESTUARIES DEMOCRACY, GOVERNANCE AND CITIZENSHIP CULTURE AND LEISURE HOUSING COMMUNICATION TRANSPORT PRODUCTIVITY COMPETITIVENESS AND OPENESS INFLATION

No bottom-line measure of progress No assessment of government policy No (direct) assessment of 'sustainability' What MAP doesn't provide

Sets of Indicators Measures should be “unambiguous" that is have a clear good/bad direction of movement Important to focus on the big picture Important to discuss trade-offs and reinforcements

Trade-offs

Reinforcements

Project board chaired by head of ABS Expert reference group (civil society, academics, scientists etc) Public seminars Extensive peer reviews Governance

Peer review Expert Group Public Consultation Project Board Project team Governance

Chose a concept – Progress – and an audience (the “public”) Selected key dimensions of progress and why they were important Selected the best headline indicators (and supplementary indicators) Consultation at every stage The Process: January 2000 to September 2001

Prepared, peer reviewed, and released the first publication The Process: October 2001 to April 2002

Collaboration Civil society, academics etc provided very valuable advice and assistance They also promoted and supported the venture But …. need to be careful about perceptions around roles …. and that an adequately broad spectrum of views come to the table

Why Collaborate? Discussions about measuring progress leads to discussions – and understanding - about ‘what progress actually is’ Civil Society gets… facts to inform debate and advance particular causes, and a chance to influence policy Government gets … a wider perspective, skills and resources, support and buy in

Lessons in Collaboration Choose collaborators carefully Judge the pace of collaboration well Listen to one another and deliver

Outcomes Increased relevance for ABS Strong support from users MAP won an award for Australia’s Smartest Social Initiative Lots of media coverage Reassessment of Statistical Work Programme Frequently referenced in Parliament and debate

Outcomes Improved dialogue between the users and producers of statistics Engagement of influential community leaders Some errors in ABS data were spotted ABS leadership encouraged other countries to follow eg, Ireland

Outcomes The first issue was strongly criticised by a think tank Uncomfortable for some in the ABS But many came to the ABS’s defense If the ABS doesn’t do this then who will

What Next…? MAP now accepted. ABS not worried about measuring progress There could be a stronger push to use MAP’s framework as a lens to consider policy But difficult for an NSO

Shokran!