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South East Queensland in Australia

South East Queensland is made up of Brisbane (C), Sunshine Coast (R), Gold Coast (C), Moreton Bay (R), Logan (C), Redland (C), Noosa (S), Ipswich (C), Lockyer Valley (R), Toowoomba (R), Somerset (R), Scenic Rim (R), and Southern Downs (R).

Living in South East Queensland

South East Queensland Overall Liveability Index
South East Queensland 2023
62.2
Australia
63.4
Adelaide
67.4
Central NSW
60.5
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
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

South East Queensland Overall Liveability Index

South East Queensland Overall Liveability Index 63.7

Australia Overall Liveability Index

Australia Overall Liveability Index 63.4

South East Queensland
Australia
Importance
Experience

Feeling safe

Importance
Experience
59%
6.6
63%
6.8

Natural environment

Importance
Experience
53%
7.5
53%
7.9

Affordable decent housing

Importance
Experience
52%
4.5
52%
4.7

Public transport

Importance
Experience
46%
6.3
40%
5.6

Health services

Importance
Experience
38%
7.0
45%
6.5

Making your way

Importance
Experience
36%
6.0
32%
6.4

Good job prospects

Importance
Experience
34%
6.3
29%
5.9

Sense of community

Importance
Experience
27%
6.4
31%
6.5

Social cohesion

Importance
Experience
26%
6.8
26%
6.7

Shopping, leisure & dining

Importance
Experience
26%
7.1
28%
6.5

A lack of road congestion

Importance
Experience
21%
4.2
22%
5.6

Cultural facilities

Importance
Experience
21%
6.5
16%
6.2

Education

Importance
Experience
18%
7.4
18%
6.7

A prosperous economy

Importance
Experience
17%
6.4
15%
6.2

Opportunity for all

Importance
Experience
16%
6.3
18%
6.3

Sports and recreation

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

Health and Wellbeing in South East Queensland

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?
South East Queensland (n = 487)
7.2
Very poor
Excellent
Australia 2024 (n = 5064)
7.0
Very poor
Excellent
Significantly higher
Significantly lower
South East Queensland (n = 487)
13%
51%
36%
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?
South East Queensland (n = 487)
7.2
Very poor
Excellent
Australia 2024 (n = 5064)
7.2
Very poor
Excellent
Significantly higher
Significantly lower
South East Queensland (n = 487)
8%
63%
29%
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?
South East Queensland (n = 487)
7.0
Very poor
Excellent
Australia 2024 (n = 5064)
6.9
Very poor
Excellent
Significantly higher
Significantly lower
South East Queensland (n = 487)
9%
63%
28%
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 South East Queensland

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?
South East Queensland (n = 487)
6.1
Very poor
Excellent
Australia 2024 (n = 5064)
6.0
Very poor
Excellent
Significantly higher
Significantly lower
South East Queensland (n = 487)
19%
47%
34%
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?
South East Queensland (n = 487)
Australia 2024 (n = 4831)
Always late
2%
2%
Often late
3%
5%
Sometimes late
27%
27%
Never late
68%
66%
Significantly higher
Significantly lower
South East Queensland (n = 487)
33%
48%
18%
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 South East Queensland

Which of the following best describes your personal views on climate change?
South East Queensland (n = 487)
Australia 2024 (n = 5064)
It's happening - caused entirely or mostly by human activities
53%
46%
It's happening - caused equally by human activities and natural causes
27%
30%
It's happening - caused entirely or mostly by natural causes
7%
9%
It's happening - not sure what is causing it
4%
6%
I do not believe climate change is happening
8%
9%
Significantly higher
Significantly lower

Among those that believe in climate change, 47% 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, 8% were very confident that their local area would be able to adapt to the effects of climate change and a further 31% somewhat confident. 56% 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?
South East Queensland (n = 487)
Australia 2024 (n = 4511)
My local area is feeling the effects of climate change
47%
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
12%
15%
Significantly higher
Significantly lower
South East Queensland (n = 487)
Australia 2024 (n = 3806)
Very confident
8%
6%
Somewhat confident
31%
38%
Not very confident
47%
39%
Not at all confident
9%
13%
Don't know
4%
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 (82%), Flooding (81%) and Storms (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 (66%), Reduce pollution of the environment (64%) and Adopt renewable energy sources (63%).

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?
South East Queensland (n = 487)
Australia 2024 (n = 3660)
Extreme heat
82%
75%
Flooding
81%
55%
Storms
67%
57%
Droughts
33%
42%
Bushfires
33%
51%
Severe wind
33%
43%
Sea level rise
27%
23%
Cyclones
20%
12%
Extremely cold temperatures
10%
18%
Landslide
3%
6%
Earthquakes
3%
5%
Other
3%
3%
None of these
0%
0%
Significantly higher
Significantly lower
South East Queensland (n = 487)
Australia 2024 (n = 3806)
Protect and enhance local biodiversity
66%
64%
Reduce pollution of the environment
64%
58%
Adopt renewable energy sources
63%
55%
Educate residents on how to live more sustainably
58%
58%
More sustainable transport options
57%
48%
Provide options for recycling waste
53%
53%
Conserve natural resources
52%
54%
Create renewable energy sources
49%
46%
Reduce carbon emissions in the local area
49%
43%
More sustainable building and development practices
48%
48%
Host renewable energy projects in the local area
38%
41%
Encourage residents to buy locally
34%
36%
Other
5%
6%
None of these
1%
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, 9% were very confident that they would be able to adapt to the effects of climate change and a further 52% somewhat confident. 34% 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?
South East Queensland (n = 487)
Australia 2024 (n = 4511)
I am feeling the effects of climate change
49%
44%
I am not feeling the effects of climate change, but expect to in my lifetime
37%
40%
I am not feeling the effects of climate change, and do not expect to in my lifetime
14%
16%
Significantly higher
Significantly lower
South East Queensland (n = 487)
Australia 2024 (n = 3728)
Very confident
9%
10%
Somewhat confident
52%
53%
Not very confident
28%
27%
Not at all confident
6%
6%
Don't know
5%
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 (79%), Food production, making it harder and more expensive to get food items (61%) and My ability to leave my home due to weather (48%). 48% feel climate change will reduce their quality of life somewhat, and a further 20% 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?
South East Queensland (n = 487)
Australia 2024 (n = 3728)
Increased household running costs
79%
81%
Food production, making it harder and more expensive to get food items
61%
63%
My ability to leave my home due to weather
48%
44%
Reduction in air quality
39%
39%
Challenges getting around
38%
38%
Essential infrastructure vulnerability
37%
39%
Transport infrastructure vulnerability
35%
30%
My ability to access nature due to weather
35%
34%
Loss or damage to your home/property
30%
27%
Reduced personal safety or health to myself and/or those around me
30%
27%
Challenges accessing essential services
25%
28%
Reduced value to your home/property
14%
13%
Other
3%
3%
None of these
1%
1%
Significantly higher
Significantly lower
South East Queensland (n = 487)
Australia 2024 (n = 3728)
It will improve a lot
2%
2%
It will improve somewhat
6%
7%
It will not change
14%
14%
It will reduce somewhat
48%
49%
It will reduce a lot
20%
22%
Don't know
9%
6%
Significantly higher
Significantly lower

Concerns & ideas in South East Queensland

What are the top three issues facing your local area?
South East Queensland (n = 487)
Australia 2024 (n = 5064)
Inflation/Cost of Living
62%
59%
Housing/Price of Housing
61%
54%
Law & order
30%
26%
Petrol Prices/Fuel
22%
21%
Transport
21%
18%
Population/Overpopulation
16%
13%
Household Debt/Personal Debt
15%
14%
Poverty/Inequality
13%
11%
Drug/Alcohol Abuse
11%
15%
The Economy
10%
13%
Healthcare/Hospitals
10%
19%
Immigration
7%
5%
Environmental Concerns
7%
7%
Unemployment
6%
9%
Taxation
3%
5%
Issues Facing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders
3%
5%
Defence
1%
1%
Race Relations/Racism
1%
3%
Education
1%
3%
Significantly higher
Significantly lower