NAB Special Report: What makes Australia a great place to live?
GUEST OBSERVER
Australia is well regarded internationally as one of the world’s most liveable places. Australians continue to think so too with 99 percent of us agreeing that this is a great place to live!
In our second annual survey, we take another look at what makes this country such a special place to live. Relative safety & security, general lifestyle & friendliness and access to quality healthcare continue to be valued most highly, with open spaces, climate and environment also important drawcards. Our people, an acceptance of diversity and love of sport have also become bigger drawcards, but the economy and education are contributing less.
Access to open spaces, beaches and parks, climate, clean environment & unique natural wonders continued to be highly valued by around 1 in 4 Australians.
It was however notable that a strong and stable economy (18 percent) contributed less to liveability in Australia in the 2016 survey (21 percent in 2015), which is perhaps not surprising given weaker economic growth outcomes last year. There was also a notable fall in the number of Australians (15 percent) citing access to quality education as a driver of liveability (19 percent in 2015).
On a positive note, our people and their acceptance of diversity was recognised as a bigger drawcard by 17 percent of Australians (up from 13 percent in 2015), while the number who valued our love of sport climbed to 11 percent (8 percent in 2015).
The national results hide some big differences between states. For example, safety & security was valued most highly in SA/NT (43 percent) and contributed least in WA (31 percent) and Victoria (31 percent). Climate was a much stronger drawcard in WA (29 percent) and Queensland (28 percent) than in Victoria (17 percent) and Tasmania (14 percent).
New South Wales / ACT
In NSW/ACT, relative safety & security (40 percent), general lifestyle & friendliness (35 percent) and access to quality healthcare (29 percent) were the most commonly identified factors making Australia a great place to live. It was however, notable that safety & security was valued more highly in NSW/ACT than in all other states bar SA/NT.
People and acceptance of diversity (by gender, race and religion) also resonated higher in NSW/ACT than in any other state (21 percent), but it was also notable that a love of sport (8 percent) played a much smaller role relative to the national average.
For all other factors, residents of NSW/ACT were broadly in line with the average Australian.
Victoria
General lifestyle & friendliness (35 percent), quality healthcare (33 percent) and safety & security (31 percent) were the most commonly identified factors in Victoria. Victorians valued healthcare equal highest with WA among the states, but safety & security contributed equal least along with WA.
Victorians led the country in terms of access to quality education (17 percent), their love of sport (14 percent), entertainment options such as restaurants and cinemas (9 percent) and for transport and other public infrastructure (6 percent).
Victorians were however notably below the Australian average when it came to a clean environment and natural wonders (19 percent), climate (17 percent) and social welfare system (15 percent).
Safety & security (33 percent), general lifestyle & friendliness (32 percent) and access to quality healthcare (32 percent) were the main factors making Australia a great place to live according to Queenslanders - albeit contributing less than average except for healthcare.
Queenslanders (28 percent) rated climate notably higher than in most other states. They also valued access to open spaces, beaches & parks (26 percent) and a strong and stable economy (20 percent) slightly more than the average Australian.
It was however notable that employment and job prospects (1 percent) contributed less in Queensland than for the average Australian, as did transport & other public infrastructure (1 percent).
Safety & security (43 percent) was valued higher in SA/NT than in any other state. General lifestyle & friendliness (33 percent), access to open spaces, parks & beaches (26 percent) and climate (24 percent) were the next biggest drawcards.
Housing and housing affordability (7 percent) was valued higher than all other states - likely due to lower median house prices. Love of sport (14 percent) was also a much bigger draw card in SA/NT.
In contrast, healthcare (22 percent) and a clean environment & unique natural wonders (19 percent) contributed much less than it did for the average Australian. Not surprisingly given the economic challenges facing SA, a strong & stable economy (15 percent) also contributed less.
West Australians placed the highest emphasis on general lifestyle & friendliness (36 percent), access to quality healthcare (33 percent) and safety & security as key factors making Australia a great place to life, albeit safety& security rated equal lowest of all states.
West Australians did however value access to open spaces, beaches & parks (30 percent) and climate (24 percent) highest in the country. Social welfare (21 percent) was also valued somewhat more.
In contrast, people & acceptance of diversity (14 percent), love of sport (7 percent) and entertainment options (e.g. restaurants, dining out) contributed less to their notion of what makes Australia a great place to than any other state.
Tasmania
Significantly more Tasmanians valued general lifestyle & friendliness (54 percent) higher than Australians living in any other state.
Notably more Tasmanians also highlighted safety & security (42 percent), clean environment & natural wonders (40 percent), social welfare system (24 percent) and (perhaps somewhat surprisingly given the under-performance of the local economy) a strong & stable economy (24 percent) higher than in any other state.
In contrast, access to quality healthcare (18 percent), climate (14 percent), access to open spaces, beaches & parks (14 percent) and education (9 percent) contributed much less than in any other state.
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