Harvey Brookes — Waikato Wellbeing Project
Connecting global goals to local housing and wellbeing outcomes
In this episode we talk with Harvey Brookes, Executive Director of the Waikato Wellbeing Project.
Harvey has spent much of his career working at the intersection of sustainable development, housing, and social wellbeing, helping to connect global frameworks like the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, to the realities of communities here in the Waikato.
With extensive experience across strategy, policy, and regional development, Harvey brings a unique perspective on what it means to create healthier, fairer, and more resilient places to live.
We sat down with Harvey and talked about the Waikato Housing Initiative, the challenges of affordability, and how systemic issues like water infrastructure, food insecurity, and housing costs are deeply intertwined.
Our conversation explored both the barriers and opportunities for the Waikato to lead the way in a truly place-based approach to wellbeing, and asked the fundamental question: what would it really take to ensure housing is affordable for everyone?
