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Quality of Life Report
The National Indicators project was started in 1999 by the Chief Executives of the six largest cities (Auckland, Christchurch, Manukau, North Shore, Waitakere and Wellington) in response to the growing pressures on urban communities, concern about the impact of urbanisation and the effect of this on the wellbeing of citizens. The project began as an initiative to jointly monitor changing social conditions in our largest cities and later grew to include a broader range of social and economic indicators to encompass a broader “quality of life” focus. It was seen that a cooperative six city approach to monitoring would enable participating Councils to develop a consistent set of “big city indicators”, identify big city trends and provide a platform to develop holistic responses, along with central government, to emerging issues. Where can I view the report? The full report can be found at http://www.bigcities.govt.nz. There are vast differences in the socio-demographic makeup across the six cities, but all share a common factor of being large urbanised areas, with inherent impacts on physical and social infrastructure. It is estimated that the four cities of Auckland will account for more than half of the projected population growth of New Zealand over the next 20 years. Some social demographic characteristics of the six cities include:
Most of New
Zealand’s high income earners live in the six cities but so do most
of the low income earners. This latter group are most affected by the
accommodation costs of city living where there are high house prices,
rent and mortgage costs (particularly in Auckland, North Shore and Wellington
Cities). These factors influence home ownership rates and the makeup of
communities. Housing costs are also a factor impacting on the number of
people living in each house. In fact 1.4% of urban households could be
considered crowded compared with 0.9% of rural households. Crowded households
are considered a primary factor in the incidence of disease and in 1999
for example, over half of New Zealand’s tuberculosis cases were found
in our largest cities. In 1999, the Auckland, Wellington and Canterbury Regions that include the six cities accounted for 60% of New Zealand’s economy and around 41% of the national workforce. Local economies are affected by factors such as the international environment, domestic factors, the regulatory environment and infrastructure issues. However, education and training to ensure labour force skills match employer needs, is essential for a healthy local economy. Whilst the urban economies and the populations are growing, so are concerns about safety. Citizens’ perception of safety in the six largest cities indicates that people feel safer during the day than at night. Burglary and traffic fatalities are dropping, and road traffic fatalities and rates of unintentional injuries to children are considerably lower in the six largest cities than in the rest of New Zealand. Traffic fatalities can be further reduced by changing transport habits, particularly in Manukau, North Shore and Waitakere Cities. Here, citizen surveys revealed that over half of respondents never used public transport, generally preferring car based travel. Perceptions of public transport are more favourable in Wellington and Christchurch than in the Auckland Region. The high use of the motor vehicle is also a key contributor to air and water pollution and high noise levels in the cities. This affects citizens’ perception about their area. Over half of the residents of the six largest cities are comfortable with the community in which they live. They are satisfied with the look and feel of their city, they perceive that their community works together, and that people support each other. Perceptions of community support were strongest in Wellington and Manukau Cities with all cities having some positive perceptions that people from different cultures and lifestyles made their city a better place. One concern is the lower level of volunteerism in the six cities compared to the rest of New Zealand. All Councils have structures and processes in place to work with Tangata Whenua. The diversity of cultures and lifestyles in the six cities would ideally be evident in local governance structures. However representation is influenced by voter turnout which is lower in New Zealand’s six largest cities compared to the rest of New Zealand. Europeans appear to be over-represented on school Boards of Trustees in relation to the ethnic population of their area in the six cities. Pacific Islands and Maori people are reasonably well represented in Auckland and Manukau Cities, but under represented in all other cities. Whilst no hard statistics are available on the composition of local Councils and Community Boards, the pattern appears similar to school boards. Improving the quality of life of people is perhaps the most important role of local and central government. This first Quality of Life report presents a picture of wellbeing in New Zealand’s six most populated cities. These cities are great places to live, work and play and are vibrant with a rich diversity of people from different cultures and backgrounds. However some communities are excluded from the social and economic benefits that others in our cities are enjoying. In fact the inequalities have been widening. By monitoring the complex factors that interplay in assessing quality of life, we can continue to address these issues and pinpoint areas for further action. Addressing the matters raised in this report requires a co-operative effort by local and central government, community organisations, businesses and citizens. The report is an extremely important document that will prove invaluable as we strive to measure our progress as cities and improve the quality of life of those who live in them. It is also a valuable information resource that will stimulate debate and focus planning, policies and decision making. The work provides an excellent example of how local authorities can work together to deliver common outcomes. The Councils involved remain committed to ensuring their cities are vibrant, exciting urban centres. All are already taking action through partnerships with central government and the community sector in areas such as affordable housing, health and employment. Continuing to work together can positively impact on the challenges raised in this report to ensure that quality of life in cities remains a priority for all. If you would like further information email Kath Jamieson |
