editorial
THE POLITICAL buzzword of 2019 was surely “wellbeing”. At North & South’s editorial pod, we’re a bit scoffy about words like “wellbeing”. Our cynicism, though, is mostly reserved for the wellness industry of the crystal-waving variety, which is never busier than at Christmas, pumping out books and merchandise on the healing powers of essential oils, amazing and unexpected uses for turmeric and, inevitably, some new spin-off from Rhonda Byrne’s awful The Secret. In contrast, the Coalition Government’s 2019 Wellbeing Budget parked an overused word right where it belonged. For the first time, we had a Budget that promised to set its sights beyond GDP growth; it would encompass indicators such as mental health, child poverty, water quality, the cost of housing, even voter turnout. These so-called “softer” indicators would be grouped,…