Community wellbeing and sustainability

The Wellbeing Framework

The Wellbeing Framework is a whole-of-government and community approach to improving the quality of life for all Tasmanians. Built on what Tasmanians told us matters most, it provides a shared vision and common language to work together to improve outcomes across our state.

The framework represents a shift from measuring progress through economic indicators alone to a holistic view that encompasses the social, environmental, cultural and economic dimensions of life in Tasmania.

Overview of the framework

The framework is built around four interconnected components that work together to guide action on wellbeing across Tasmania.

• Our vision is that all Tasmanians have good lives they are satisfied with and everyone has a fair chance to do well, now and in the future.
• Six domains represent the areas of life that matter most to Tasmanians: community, governance, health, learning, place and prosperity. These domains provide an organising structure for understanding wellbeing holistically.
• Twenty-seven population outcomes sit in these domains, describing what we're working toward: including safe and sustainable environments, meaningful work, physical and mental health, quality education, strong social connections and responsive government.
• Six guiding principles shape how we approach this work: equity, inclusivity, sustainability, collaboration, evidence-informed decision-making and continuous learning and adaptation. These principles ensure our approach remains fair, inclusive and responsive to changing needs.

Together, these four components ensure policies, programs and actions align with what truly matters to Tasmanians.

Using the framework

Everyone has a role in contributing to wellbeing outcomes:

• The Tasmanian Government can use the framework to guide policy development and support evidence-informed decision-making.
• Local government can align strategic planning and service delivery with the framework to enhance quality of life in local communities.
• Community organisations can use the framework to guide program development and collaboration.
• Businesses can consider how their operations and community engagement contribute to broader wellbeing.
• Individuals and families can use the framework to understand what contributes to wellbeing and advocate for what matters in their communities.

Tasmanian Positive: Our state's sustainability strategy

The Tasmanian Government is developing a sustainability strategy for Tasmania, led by the Department of Premier and Cabinet in concert with all government agencies, businesses and authorities. No one can do this alone, and it is not something any government or agency can impose. It’s a strategy we share, as it will encompass the social, economic and environmental dimensions of sustainability.

Many positive initiatives are already happening across government and Tasmania’s business and community sectors. The purpose of a sustainability strategy is not to duplicate effort or waste resources, but to bring together these initiatives and work together on new initiatives to enhance the social, economic, and environmental wellbeing of current and future generations.

This strategy is about coordinating, celebrating, and taking advantage of what we are already doing. It is about being honest about how we can do better, for what we all care deeply about: our air and land and water, our communities, and each other. All Tasmanian households, businesses, investors, and visitors to Tasmania can work together on common goals and objectives. To support this, we invite all Tasmanians to help build our shared sustainability strategy, to own it, and to be inspired to act by our aspirations for the future.

Consultation to date

The sustainability strategy began with six focus groups between 11-14 April 2022 in Hobart, Launceston and Burnie. KPMG was engaged to design, facilitate and report on the outcomes of the focus groups.

The workshops were attended by more than 200 representatives from all Tasmanian Government agencies, government businesses, the Local Government Association of Tasmania and industry and community sector peak bodies.

The Tasmanian Policy Exchange at the University of Tasmania was engaged in 2022 to inform the development of the sustainability strategy. They made two research papers to identify opportunities for Tasmania.

The Institute for Social Change at the University of Tasmania was engaged to develop a community-wide survey on wellbeing and sustainability, inviting all Tasmanians to answer two questions:

1. What does wellbeing mean to you?
2. What does an ideal Tasmania look like for future generations?

The survey was launched on 5 June 2023 and 1,558 people responded to the sustainability question (number 2).

In August 2023, a broad community consultation process began with the release of a short consultation paper and a longer discussion paper, seeking input from the Tasmanian community for the development of a sustainability vision and goals for Tasmania. Consultation closed in October 2023. One hundred seventy-six responses to discussion paper questions were received from 99 individuals, and 38 written submissions were received. The consultation report provides analysis of responses to both the survey and discussion paper.

There may be further opportunities to contribute to the sustainability strategy as the project progresses.