Quality of life on the rise in Auckland

Findings from the nationwide 2012 Quality of Life survey show more than three-quarters of Aucklanders rate their quality of life positively.

The biennial Quality of Life survey, released today (Tuesday 26 February), measures the perceptions of more than 5000 people aged 18 years and over living in four of the country’s largest urban areas, including 2593 from Auckland.

The survey found that 79 per cent of Auckland respondents rated their overall quality of life positively, with 18 per cent rating it extremely good and 61 per cent rating it good. Furthermore, 23 per cent felt their quality of life had improved over the previous 12 months.

The findings are in line with the national average where 80 per cent of respondents rated their overall quality of life positively and 24 per cent felt that their quality of life had improved compared to 12 months earlier.

Regional differences in perceived quality of life ranged from Waiheke and Great Barrier Islands where 96 per cent of residents rated it as extremely good or good to those living in the Henderson-Massey local board area where 71 per cent rated it as extremely good or good.

People living in the Otara-Papatoetoe Local Board area felt their quality of life had increased more than anywhere else in Auckland in the previous 12 months.

“The results are a rich source of data on how Aucklanders are faring and what issues are particularly important across our varied communities,” say Auckland Council Senior Researcher, Alison Reid.

“As Auckland’s population grows and changes, it is vital that we monitor how Aucklanders themselves are feeling, and what social issues may be emerging.”

Compared to the other participating cities, Aucklanders were less likely to rate vandalism (41 per cent compared to 56 per cent across the total sample) and graffiti (52 per cent compared to 74 per cent nationally) as a problem in their local area.

Aucklanders were also less likely to have viewed alcohol or drugs as a problem in their local area in the last 12 months (51 per cent compared to 74 per cent nationally).

Dangerous driving was the most common issue for Aucklanders in their local area with 64 per cent of residents rating this as a problem in the 12 months.

Information obtained from the survey will be used to inform Auckland Council and local board decision making and community development.

Conducted by research company Nielsen, the survey is jointly funded by the participating councils, and is part of the wider Quality of Life in New Zealand’s Largest Cities project. Local authorities that participated were Auckland Council, Hutt, Porirua, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin city councils.

All sample surveys are subject to sampling error, and the Auckland wide results are subject to a margin of error of plus or minus 1.9% at the 95% confidence level.

ENDS

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