They are intended to complement traditional economic indicators such as gross domestic product, inflation and employment. "I think that they can be in concert and that is what the national wellbeing framework is all about." In a 127-page report titled "Measuring What Matters" issued to accompany the dashboard, the government painted a mixed picture of wellbeing. But measures of chronic health conditions, national security, biodiversity and fiscal sustainability had all declined. Several countries have attempted to diversify policymaking beyond economic benchmarks in recent years, most famously Bhutan, whose "gross national happiness" index is considered more important than GDP.

---

Persons: Carl Recine, Jim Chalmers, Wayne Cole, Alasdair Pal, Edwina Gibbs Organizations: Soccer Football, FIFA, REUTERS, Thomson Locations: New Zealand, Sydney, Australia, Bhutan