Australia is a sovereign nation located “down under” in the Southern Hemisphere and is the largest country in Oceania, containing the Australian mainland, Tasmania, and a number of other small islands. Australia was originally inhabited by indigenous Australians until the late 18th century, when the British arrived and divided the continent into six colonies, including New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia, and Tasmania. Eventually, these colonies united to form the Commonwealth of Australia. Although Australia lacks wage and salary growth and has limited affordable housing, other aspects of its culture are highly developed. These are the top ten facts about Australia’s living conditions.
Australia’s Living Conditions: 10 Facts
1 Education is of Premium Quality
The average student scored 499 on the Programme for International Student Assessment in subjects such as reading literacy, mathematics, and the sciences, an impressive score above the OECD average of 488. Notable is the fact that 84% of adults have completed their upper secondary education.
2 Life expectancy is rising continuously.
Life expectancy has increased significantly over the past several decades as a result of advancements in the public health care sector and medical care. Life expectancy is 83 years, two years greater than the average of 81 years in OECD nations. Notably, the nation provides mental health interventions and headspace centers to adolescents for a healthier upbringing in an effort to reduce the suicide rate.
3 Air Quality Comes in First
Implementing the National Clean Air Agreement, the Australian government has taken severe measures to reduce air pollution. Despite a few concerns regarding high peaking airborne pollutants in a few cities, the country’s livability has increased, impacted health, and produced a positive environment.
4 Water Quality Is Adequate in Some Regions
In urban areas, 90% of Australians have access to water of acceptable quality. In South and Western Australia, however, the level of satisfaction with water quality was below 70%. Some regions, such as Southern and Western Australia, fail to meet acceptable water quality standards as a result of the continuous change in climate, requiring local water utility companies to make a few quality-related adjustments.
5 The affordability of homes is falling.
In Australia, home ownership is a top priority, but the number of homeowners has decreased significantly since the 1980s due to rising interest rates and housing costs in cities like Sydney. Due to this, there is an increase in household renters from 26 percent to 31 percent.
6 Wages and Salaries are Declining
Australia measures wages and salary by average weekly earnings. Since the mid-1970s, reported earnings have decreased due to higher tax brackets and an increase in unemployment rates, both of which suppress wages. Additionally, there are more people willing to work part-time jobs than full-time jobs.
7 Crimes are on the rise.
More crimes have been reported in Australia than in the past. This ultimately impacts the standard of living because individuals feel less secure. Robbery and assault are the primary crimes that have increased dramatically, with robberies increasing from 23 to 113 per 1,000 people and assaults increasing from 90 to 689 per 1,000 people. The communities are combating crime by implementing situational crime prevention measures, such as enhancing locks and surveillance.
8 The Economy is Expansionary
Australia, as one of the wealthiest countries in the Asia-Pacific region, is an attractive location for investment given the government’s support for entrepreneurial growth. Australia’s economic freedom score of 80.9 places it fifth in the world in terms of labor freedom and trade freedom in 2019.
9 High quality of life
After Norway, Australia has the second highest HDI in the world. 43 percent of Australians over the age of 18 are generally content with their standard of living due to the country’s liberal and democratic government and warm climate.
10 High Rates of Child Poverty
In 2018, three million Australians, including 17.3 percent of children, lived below the poverty line of a median income of 50 percent. Those in extreme poverty survive with $135 less per week than the median income and depend on government assistance payments.
Australia has superior living conditions compared to the rest of the world. Education is abundant, and the majority of Australians are satisfied with their standard of living. However, these ten facts about Australia’s living conditions illustrate the need for improvements in water quality and poverty rates, which affect the daily lives of Australians.
Topic: TOP 10 FACTS ABOUT LIVING CONDITIONS IN AUSTRALIA
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