"GDP Only Tells Us So Much": Jacinda Ardern

Update. See also links at the end of this posting.
 

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I've been engaged in an email exchange with Scott McWilliam who thinks the multiple variables Social Progress Index I promoted in a recent posting (pn225) is largely codswallop. He thinks Oxfam's single variable  shows "real progress not imaginary ones such as equality of education ..."  I strongly disagree.

Single variable statements  such as the Oxfam report he mentions and statistical measures such as GNP, as noted at Davos by PM Jacinda Ardern, have their place, but  the Oxfam report is useless as a planning tool and GDP's use is limited  Jacinda seems to agree with me. 

Here's Scott's email and the Oxfam report link, followed by what Jacinda had to say:

Weekend Reading 19-20th January 2019: the Pacific in 2018: the Social Progress Index Explained, Maori Education, Few Aussies Can Speak Aussie Languages

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• The Pacific in 2018: a political round-up by Johnny Blades and Jamie Tahana pn220

• Exciting new statistical tool to measure wellbeing: the Social Progress Index. With a video link to SPI executive Michael Green who explains it all. pn235

• Maori education: "We have got a lot of work to do" by John Boynton, Te Manu Korihi reporter. pn238

• Why do so few Aussies speak an Australian language? The state of Austalia's Te Reo (Whoops! Nga Reo) pn239

Go to Search in the right-side toolbar and type the pn (posting number) you want to read, e,g., Maori education, type pn238