• Ministerial foreword
• Chief Executive's preface
• Purpose of the social report
• Social wellbeing
• Social indicators
• Disaggregation of social report indicators
• Domains and Indicators for The Social Report 2008
• Structure of the report
• The future
• Other indicator reports

Ministerial foreword

The Government welcomes the publication of the seventh report charting changes in our social wellbeing. The Social Report 2008 is full of information about how individuals, families, communities and regions are faring in areas of life that New Zealanders hold to be particularly important. I regard the Social Report as a critical document in terms of accountability for progress in these areas.

I am delighted to see positive proof of change in many of the measures included in the social report. It is encouraging to see improvements in life expectancy, qualifications of school leavers, unemployment, poverty and income inequality and a reduction in cigarette smoking, . It is particularly pleasing to see that the income inequality measure used in the Social Report has reduced for the first time for two decades.

Achieving a just and fair society is an ongoing effort, and we will continue to strive towards this goal. The Social Report usefully points us to where some of this work lies.

The positive results evident in The Social Report 2008 could not have been achieved without the close relationship between government and the community and voluntary sectors. I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge and thank the people involved in these sectors for their work and enduring commitment.

Ruth Dyson
Minister for Social Development and Employment