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Central NSW in Australia

Central NSW is made up of Albury (C), Wagga Wagga (C), Griffith (C), Junee (A), Lithgow (C), Dubbo Regional (A), Forbes (A), Orange (C), Cowra (A), Greater Hume Shire (A), Hay (A), Narrandera (A), Blayney (A), Federation (A), Carrathool (A), Leeton (A), Parkes (A), Bathurst Regional (A), Edward River (A), Warrumbungle Shire (A), Mid-Western Regional (A), Bland (A), Cabonne (A), Walgett (A), Broken Hill (C), Oberon (A), Snowy Valleys (A), Gilgandra (A), Temora (A), Murrumbidgee (A), Cobar (A), Weddin (A), Cootamundra-Gundagai Regional (A), Bogan (A), Wentworth (A), Murray River (A), Narromine (A), Hilltops (A), Coolamon (A), Berrigan (A), Coonamble (A), Lachlan (A), Lockhart (A), Mid-Coast (A), and Unincorporated ACT.

Living in Central NSW

Central NSW Overall Liveability Index
Central NSW 2023
58.3
Australia
63.4
Adelaide
67.4
Central QLD
59.5
Central VIC
67.5
Darwin
58.5
Eastern VIC
63.9
Far North Queensland
60.3
Hobart
58.5
Melbourne
65.5
Northern NSW
58.8
Perth
67.4
Regional NT
53.0
Regional SA
67.7
Regional Tas
60.2
Regional WA
61.7
Rest of QLD
68.7
South East Queensland
63.7
Southern NSW
61.9
Sydney
65.9
The ACT
65.6
Western VIC
66.4
Collected May 2024

Use the values and experiences matrix to understand the relationship between what your residents believe makes somewhere a good place to live and how they experience their local area in that regard. The matrix highlights the attributes that your community believe needs to maintained and improved to advance overall liveability.

Greater Importance & Worse Experiences    Greater Importance & Better Experiences    Less important attributes

Central NSW Overall Liveability Index

Central NSW Overall Liveability Index 60.5

Australia Overall Liveability Index

Australia Overall Liveability Index 63.4

Central NSW
Australia
Importance
Experience

Affordable decent housing

Importance
Experience
64%
5.0
52%
4.7

Feeling safe

Importance
Experience
63%
6.5
63%
6.8

Health services

Importance
Experience
51%
5.8
45%
6.5

Natural environment

Importance
Experience
43%
7.5
53%
7.9

Good job prospects

Importance
Experience
37%
5.5
29%
5.9

Sense of community

Importance
Experience
33%
6.6
31%
6.5

Shopping, leisure & dining

Importance
Experience
33%
5.3
28%
6.5

Making your way

Importance
Experience
31%
6.6
32%
6.4

A lack of road congestion

Importance
Experience
26%
7.0
22%
5.6

Public transport

Importance
Experience
23%
4.0
40%
5.6

Social cohesion

Importance
Experience
21%
6.4
26%
6.7

Education

Importance
Experience
19%
6.1
18%
6.7

Opportunity for all

Importance
Experience
16%
6.2
18%
6.3

A prosperous economy

Importance
Experience
14%
5.9
15%
6.2

Cultural facilities

Importance
Experience
14%
6.2
16%
6.2

Sports and recreation

Importance
Experience
13%
7.1
11%
7.2
Significantly higher
Significantly lower

Health and Wellbeing in Central NSW

Physical Health
How would you rate your physical health?
Do you think your physical health will get better, worse or stay the same over the next year?
Central NSW (n = 284)
6.5
Very poor
Excellent
Australia 2024 (n = 5064)
7.0
Very poor
Excellent
Significantly higher
Significantly lower
Central NSW (n = 284)
13%
58%
29%
Get worse
Stay the same
Get better
Australia 2024 (n = 5064)
12%
58%
30%
Get worse
Stay the same
Get better
Significantly higher
Significantly lower
Mental Health
How would you rate your mental health?
Do you think your mental health will get better, worse or stay the same over the next year?
Central NSW (n = 284)
6.4
Very poor
Excellent
Australia 2024 (n = 5064)
7.2
Very poor
Excellent
Significantly higher
Significantly lower
Central NSW (n = 284)
13%
63%
24%
Get worse
Stay the same
Get better
Australia 2024 (n = 5064)
10%
65%
25%
Get worse
Stay the same
Get better
Significantly higher
Significantly lower
Social wellbeing
How would you rate your social wellbeing?
Do you think your social wellbeing will get better, worse or stay the same over the next year?
Central NSW (n = 284)
6.3
Very poor
Excellent
Australia 2024 (n = 5064)
6.9
Very poor
Excellent
Significantly higher
Significantly lower
Central NSW (n = 284)
12%
68%
19%
Get worse
Stay the same
Get better
Australia 2024 (n = 5064)
9%
68%
23%
Get worse
Stay the same
Get better
Significantly higher
Significantly lower

Financial circumstances in Central NSW

How would you rate your personal financial circumstances?
Do you think your personal financial circumstance will get worse, stay the same or get better over the next year?
Central NSW (n = 284)
5.4
Very poor
Excellent
Australia 2024 (n = 5064)
6.0
Very poor
Excellent
Significantly higher
Significantly lower
Central NSW (n = 284)
22%
50%
28%
Get worse
Stay the same
Get better
Australia 2024 (n = 5064)
21%
51%
28%
Get worse
Stay the same
Get better
Significantly higher
Significantly lower
How often, if ever, are you late meeting your financial commitments?
Do you think the economic situation in your local area will get worse, stay the same or get better over the next year?
Central NSW (n = 284)
Australia 2024 (n = 4831)
Always late
2%
2%
Often late
9%
5%
Sometimes late
35%
27%
Never late
55%
66%
Significantly higher
Significantly lower
Central NSW (n = 284)
36%
55%
9%
Get worse
Stay the same
Get better
Australia 2024 (n = 5064)
35%
52%
13%
Get worse
Stay the same
Get better
Significantly higher
Significantly lower

Impacts of climate change in Central NSW

Which of the following best describes your personal views on climate change?
Central NSW (n = 284)
Australia 2024 (n = 5064)
It's happening - caused entirely or mostly by human activities
39%
46%
It's happening - caused equally by human activities and natural causes
27%
30%
It's happening - caused entirely or mostly by natural causes
12%
9%
It's happening - not sure what is causing it
11%
6%
I do not believe climate change is happening
11%
9%
Significantly higher
Significantly lower

Among those that believe in climate change, 45% indicated that their local area is currently feeling the effects of climate change and a further 41% expected their local area to feel the effects within their lifetime. Of those, 6% were very confident that their local area would be able to adapt to the effects of climate change and a further 34% somewhat confident. 57% were not confident.

Please select the extent to which climate change is impacting or will impact your local area in your lifetime?
How confident are you that your local area will be able to adapt to the effects of climate change in your lifetime?
Central NSW (n = 284)
Australia 2024 (n = 4511)
My local area is feeling the effects of climate change
45%
45%
My local area is not feeling the effects of climate change, but expect it will in my lifetime
41%
40%
My local area is not feeling the effects of climate change, and do not expect it will in my lifetime
15%
15%
Significantly higher
Significantly lower
Central NSW (n = 284)
Australia 2024 (n = 3806)
Very confident
6%
6%
Somewhat confident
34%
38%
Not very confident
42%
39%
Not at all confident
15%
13%
Don't know
3%
4%
Significantly higher
Significantly lower

Among the group of residents that felt their local area is currently feeling, or will feel, the effects of climate change in their lifetime, the top local area climate-related events were: Extreme heat (76%), Droughts (72%) and Bushfires (67%). The top actions residents felt should be taken to address the effects of climate change in their local area were: Protect and enhance local biodiversity (64%), Educate residents on how to live more sustainably (57%) and Conserve natural resources (56%).

How is your local area currently, or how do you expect it will, feel the effects of climate change in your lifetime?
What do you feel are the best ways to address the effects of climate change in your local area?
Central NSW (n = 284)
Australia 2024 (n = 3660)
Extreme heat
76%
75%
Droughts
72%
42%
Bushfires
67%
51%
Flooding
62%
55%
Storms
53%
57%
Severe wind
34%
43%
Extremely cold temperatures
32%
18%
Earthquakes
6%
5%
Cyclones
6%
12%
Sea level rise
3%
23%
Landslide
3%
6%
Other
1%
3%
None of these
1%
0%
Significantly higher
Significantly lower
Central NSW (n = 284)
Australia 2024 (n = 3806)
Protect and enhance local biodiversity
64%
64%
Educate residents on how to live more sustainably
57%
58%
Conserve natural resources
56%
54%
Reduce pollution of the environment
50%
58%
Adopt renewable energy sources
49%
55%
Provide options for recycling waste
48%
53%
More sustainable building and development practices
43%
48%
Create renewable energy sources
43%
46%
Reduce carbon emissions in the local area
40%
43%
Host renewable energy projects in the local area
40%
41%
More sustainable transport options
38%
48%
Encourage residents to buy locally
31%
36%
Other
6%
6%
None of these
3%
2%
Significantly higher
Significantly lower

Impacts of climate change on residents

Among those that believe in climate change, 44% indicated that they themselves are currently feeling the effects of climate change and a further 40% expected to within their lifetime. Of those, 10% were very confident that they would be able to adapt to the effects of climate change and a further 54% somewhat confident. 32% were not confident.

Please select the extent to which climate change is impacting or will impact you personally in your lifetime?
How confident are you that you personally will be able to adapt to the effects of climate change in your lifetime?
Central NSW (n = 284)
Australia 2024 (n = 4511)
I am feeling the effects of climate change
37%
44%
I am not feeling the effects of climate change, but expect to in my lifetime
43%
40%
I am not feeling the effects of climate change, and do not expect to in my lifetime
19%
16%
Significantly higher
Significantly lower
Central NSW (n = 284)
Australia 2024 (n = 3728)
Very confident
10%
10%
Somewhat confident
54%
53%
Not very confident
26%
27%
Not at all confident
6%
6%
Don't know
4%
4%
Significantly higher
Significantly lower

Among the group of residents that felt they are currently feeling, or will feel, the effects of climate change in their lifetime, the top personal impacts were: Increased household running costs (81%), Food production, making it harder and more expensive to get food items (72%) and Challenges getting around (48%). 45% feel climate change will reduce their quality of life somewhat, and a further 23% feel it will reduce their quality of life a lot.

How are you currently, or how do you expect to, personally feel the effects of climate change in your lifetime?
Which of the following best represents how you believe the effects of climate change will affect your quality of life?
Central NSW (n = 284)
Australia 2024 (n = 3728)
Increased household running costs
81%
81%
Food production, making it harder and more expensive to get food items
72%
63%
Challenges getting around
48%
38%
My ability to leave my home due to weather
43%
44%
My ability to access nature due to weather
38%
34%
Essential infrastructure vulnerability
37%
39%
Reduction in air quality
29%
39%
Transport infrastructure vulnerability
27%
30%
Challenges accessing essential services
27%
28%
Reduced personal safety or health to myself and/or those around me
27%
27%
Loss or damage to your home/property
26%
27%
Reduced value to your home/property
10%
13%
None of these
4%
1%
Other
2%
3%
Significantly higher
Significantly lower
Central NSW (n = 284)
Australia 2024 (n = 3728)
It will improve a lot
0%
2%
It will improve somewhat
8%
7%
It will not change
15%
14%
It will reduce somewhat
45%
49%
It will reduce a lot
23%
22%
Don't know
9%
6%
Significantly higher
Significantly lower

Concerns & ideas in Central NSW

What are the top three issues facing your local area?
Central NSW (n = 284)
Australia 2024 (n = 5064)
Inflation/Cost of Living
57%
59%
Housing/Price of Housing
52%
54%
Law & order
30%
26%
Healthcare/Hospitals
28%
19%
Petrol Prices/Fuel
27%
21%
Drug/Alcohol Abuse
20%
15%
Transport
20%
18%
Household Debt/Personal Debt
9%
14%
Unemployment
9%
9%
The Economy
8%
13%
Poverty/Inequality
7%
11%
Population/Overpopulation
7%
13%
Issues Facing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders
6%
5%
Education
4%
3%
Taxation
4%
5%
Race Relations/Racism
4%
3%
Environmental Concerns
4%
7%
Immigration
2%
5%
Defence
1%
1%
Significantly higher
Significantly lower