Gareth Hughes - Wellbeing Economy Alliance Aotearoa

Gareth Hughes is a former Member of Parliament, political commentator, author, and passionate advocate for economic transformation. With a decade of experience in Parliament representing the Green Party, Gareth held key roles including Party Whip, strategist, and Chair of the Social Services and Community Select Committee. Before his time in politics, Gareth led climate campaigns with Greenpeace, helping to drive awareness and action on critical environmental issues.

Gareth now serves as Director of WEAll Aotearoa Wellbeing Economy Alliance, a Te Tiriti-led, non-partisan ‘think and do’ tank focused on reimagining Aotearoa New Zealand’s economy to prioritise the wellbeing of people and te taiao (the natural world). Through research, advocacy, and coalition-building, the WEAll Aotearoa team are helping to shape a future where thriving communities and ecosystems are at the heart of economic decision-making.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Gareth’s journey from climate activism to Parliament to economic systems change
• How his personal and political experiences shaped a deep commitment to systemic economic change
• Why the current economic model is failing—and why change is urgent
• What a well-being economy really means (and what it’s not)
• Challenging common myths about economic growth and prosperity
• Why Aotearoa needs an economy that works for everyone, within planetary boundaries
• The mission and work of WEAll Aotearoa—empowering communities, policymakers, and businesses to co-create change
• The Wellbeing Economy Alliance—a global movement, now in 19 countries
• Tools and frameworks for action, including the Wellbeing Economy Policy Design Guide
• Business as a force for good
• Gareth’s nationwide listening tour—hearing how everyday New Zealanders want the economy to work
• Barriers to shifting the system, and how we can overcome them
• What success could look like, and Gareth’s message of hope and action
• How you can support WEAll Aotearoa and get involved in the movement

Gareth offers a hopeful, grounded, and inspiring conversation about how we can reimagine the economy to truly serve both people and the planet.

To view all the links to the websites and documents, visit the show notes on our website.

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