After extensive research and over 205 hours of direct survey input, the final 2024-2025 Wellbeing Baseline Report is now available. This report highlights what matters most to the people of Hauraki, providing valuable insights into:

Wellbeing patterns and challenges, such as physical health, mental health, and social division
Cultural and spiritual connections, with a focus on the Māori community’s experiences
Social and environmental issues, including climate action and emergency preparedness

The findings highlight significant opportunities for improvement in areas such as housing, accessibility, and employment, while showcasing the strengths of community connections and connection to nature.

The key findings of the research are:

Wellbeing patterns repeat across findings; older adults scored highest, while those with disability or mobility challenges consistently scored lowest.

Physical health is enduring across all measurement groups as a key area to improve what matters most, but barriers persist in accessing care services.

While respondents reported high frequencies of happiness, written responses indicated a range of wider issues negatively impacting mental health.

Māori had the strongest responses to questions around cultural and spiritual connection, but respect around cultural identity scored low across groups.

Social division in community was reported across a range of issues, with knock-on effects for community connection and feelings of safety.

Connection to nature was a strength across measurement groups, accompanying calls for more environmental and climate action, as well as more emergency preparedness support.

Structures and services around housing, accessibility, financial support, and job opportunities were key areas with opportunities to improve what matters most across groups.