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Living in Australia community views

The Community Views team surveyed 531 residents from South East Queensland in May 2025.

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About the Living in Australia data-source
Living in Australia Report - 2024
About the survey - 2024

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 in May 2025

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South East Queensland Overall Liveability Index
Australia
59.5
Adelaide
62.9
Central NSW
59.0
Central QLD
57.2
Central VIC
60.8
Darwin
52.6
Eastern VIC
58.0
Far North Queensland
52.9
Hobart
58.1
Melbourne
60.6
Northern NSW
55.7
Perth
62.9
Regional NT
50.6
Regional SA
59.4
Regional Tas
58.8
Regional WA
61.0
Rest of QLD
66.5
Southern NSW
59.1
Sydney
64.1
The ACT
64.2
Western VIC
60.9
Collected May 2025

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

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South East Queensland Overall Liveability Index

South East Queensland Overall Liveability Index 59.2

Australia Overall Liveability Index

Australia Overall Liveability Index 59.5

South East Queensland
Australia
Importance
Experience
Feeling safe
Importance
Experience
67%
6.2
65%
6.2
Affordable decent housing
Importance
Experience
57%
4.2
56%
4.5
Health services
Importance
Experience
46%
6.8
48%
6.1
Natural environment
Importance
Experience
44%
7.6
50%
7.6
Public transport
Importance
Experience
38%
5.7
40%
5.2
Making your way
Importance
Experience
34%
5.4
30%
6.0
A lack of road congestion
Importance
Experience
31%
3.8
21%
5.3
Good job prospects
Importance
Experience
30%
5.6
29%
5.4
Shopping, leisure & dining
Importance
Experience
30%
6.8
26%
6.1
Sense of community
Importance
Experience
22%
6.2
29%
6.2
Social cohesion
Importance
Experience
21%
6.3
26%
6.3
Opportunity for all
Importance
Experience
20%
6.0
19%
5.9
Education
Importance
Experience
19%
6.8
20%
6.3
A prosperous economy
Importance
Experience
16%
5.7
16%
5.6
Cultural facilities
Importance
Experience
14%
5.8
15%
5.8
Sports and recreation
Importance
Experience
9%
6.9
9%
6.9
The arrows indicate whether a difference is statistically significant. Significance testing helps determine if a difference between two groups is likely real (shown by an arrow) or due to random chance (no arrow).
Significantly higher
Significantly lower

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Health and Wellbeing in South East Queensland in May 2025

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 2025 (n = 531)
6.6
Very poor
Excellent
Australia (n = 4907)
6.7
Very poor
Excellent
Significantly higher
Significantly lower
South East Queensland 2025 (n = 531)
15%
53%
32%
Get worse
Stay the same
Get better
Australia (n = 4907)
15%
56%
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 2025 (n = 531)
6.9
Very poor
Excellent
Australia (n = 4907)
6.9
Very poor
Excellent
Significantly higher
Significantly lower
South East Queensland 2025 (n = 531)
12%
60%
27%
Get worse
Stay the same
Get better
Australia (n = 4907)
12%
64%
24%
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 2025 (n = 531)
6.5
Very poor
Excellent
Australia (n = 4907)
6.5
Very poor
Excellent
Significantly higher
Significantly lower
South East Queensland 2025 (n = 531)
13%
65%
22%
Get worse
Stay the same
Get better
Australia (n = 4907)
11%
67%
22%
Get worse
Stay the same
Get better
Significantly higher
Significantly lower
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Financial circumstances in South East Queensland in May 2025

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 2025 (n = 531)
5.5
Very poor
Excellent
Australia (n = 4907)
5.7
Very poor
Excellent
Significantly higher
Significantly lower
South East Queensland 2025 (n = 531)
30%
42%
27%
Get worse
Stay the same
Get better
Australia (n = 4907)
27%
47%
26%
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 2025 (n = 500)
Australia (n = 4683)
Always late
2%
2%
Often late
8%
6%
Sometimes late
33%
30%
Never late
57%
63%
Significantly higher
Significantly lower
South East Queensland 2025 (n = 531)
43%
46%
12%
Get worse
Stay the same
Get better
Australia (n = 4907)
42%
48%
11%
Get worse
Stay the same
Get better
Significantly higher
Significantly lower
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Impacts of climate change in South East Queensland in May 2025

Which of the following best describes your personal views on climate change?
South East Queensland 2025 (n = 531)
Australia (n = 4907)
It's happening - caused entirely or mostly by human activities
38%
43%
It's happening - caused equally by human activities and natural causes
35%
32%
It's happening - caused entirely or mostly by natural causes
9%
9%
It's happening - not sure what is causing it
5%
6%
I do not believe climate change is happening
12%
11%
Significantly higher
Significantly lower

Among those that believe in climate change, 52% indicated that their local area is currently feeling the effects of climate change and a further 33% expected their local area to feel the effects within their lifetime. Of those, 4% were very confident that their local area would be able to adapt to the effects of climate change and a further 36% somewhat confident. 55% 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 2025 (n = 466)
Australia (n = 4304)
My local area is feeling the effects of climate change
52%
49%
My local area is not feeling the effects of climate change, but expect it will in my lifetime
33%
36%
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
South East Queensland 2025 (n = 386)
Australia (n = 3585)
Very confident
4%
5%
Somewhat confident
36%
35%
Not very confident
43%
39%
Not at all confident
12%
15%
Don't know
5%
6%
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: Flooding (80%), Storms (71%) and Extreme heat (69%). 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 (57%), Educate residents on how to live more sustainably (54%) and Reduce pollution of the environment (50%).

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 2025 (n = 384)
Australia (n = 3490)
Flooding
80%
48%
Storms
71%
53%
Extreme heat
69%
74%
Cyclones
63%
24%
Bushfires
41%
50%
Severe wind
41%
44%
Sea level rise
30%
24%
Droughts
29%
42%
Extremely cold temperatures
7%
16%
Landslide
6%
7%
Earthquakes
3%
5%
Other
4%
5%
None of these
0%
1%
Significantly higher
Significantly lower
South East Queensland 2025 (n = 386)
Australia (n = 3585)
Protect and enhance local biodiversity
57%
60%
Educate residents on how to live more sustainably
54%
53%
Reduce pollution of the environment
50%
51%
Adopt renewable energy sources
47%
48%
Conserve natural resources
46%
48%
Provide options for recycling waste
46%
47%
More sustainable building and development practices
44%
44%
More sustainable transport options
43%
41%
Create renewable energy sources
33%
38%
Reduce carbon emissions in the local area
32%
35%
Host renewable energy projects in the local area
30%
36%
Encourage residents to buy locally
29%
30%
Other
7%
6%
None of these
3%
2%
Significantly higher
Significantly lower
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Impacts of climate change on residents

Among those that believe in climate change, 47% indicated that they themselves are currently feeling the effects of climate change and a further 39% expected to within their lifetime. Of those, 6% were very confident that they would be able to adapt to the effects of climate change and a further 51% somewhat confident. 39% 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 2025 (n = 466)
Australia (n = 4304)
I am feeling the effects of climate change
47%
47%
I am not feeling the effects of climate change, but expect to in my lifetime
39%
37%
I am not feeling the effects of climate change, and do not expect to in my lifetime
15%
16%
Significantly higher
Significantly lower
South East Queensland 2025 (n = 385)
Australia (n = 3506)
Very confident
6%
8%
Somewhat confident
51%
52%
Not very confident
34%
30%
Not at all confident
5%
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 (78%), Food production, making it harder and more expensive to get food items (63%) and My ability to leave my home due to weather (50%). 46% 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 2025 (n = 385)
Australia (n = 3506)
Increased household running costs
78%
77%
Food production, making it harder and more expensive to get food items
63%
61%
My ability to leave my home due to weather
50%
46%
Challenges getting around
49%
36%
Essential infrastructure vulnerability
42%
40%
Loss or damage to your home/property
40%
29%
Transport infrastructure vulnerability
34%
29%
Challenges accessing essential services
33%
28%
Reduction in air quality
31%
36%
My ability to access nature due to weather
31%
32%
Reduced personal safety or health to myself and/or those around me
28%
26%
Reduced value to your home/property
19%
15%
None of these
1%
2%
Other
3%
3%
Significantly higher
Significantly lower
South East Queensland 2025 (n = 385)
Australia (n = 3506)
It will improve a lot
2%
2%
It will improve somewhat
11%
7%
It will not change
15%
14%
It will reduce somewhat
46%
49%
It will reduce a lot
20%
22%
Don't know
6%
6%
Significantly higher
Significantly lower
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Concerns in South East Queensland in May 2025

What are the top three issues facing your local area?
South East Queensland 2025 (n = 531)
Australia (n = 4907)
Housing/Price of Housing
60%
50%
Inflation/Cost of Living
57%
54%
Law & order
39%
36%
Transport
24%
20%
Population/Overpopulation
19%
13%
Household Debt/Personal Debt
16%
13%
Petrol Prices/Fuel
15%
12%
The Economy
11%
12%
Poverty/Inequality
9%
11%
Drug/Alcohol Abuse
9%
15%
Healthcare/Hospitals
8%
20%
Environmental Concerns
8%
10%
Taxation
8%
6%
Immigration
5%
7%
Unemployment
5%
9%
Race Relations/Racism
3%
5%
Issues Facing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders
2%
4%
Education
1%
3%
Defence
1%
1%
Significantly higher
Significantly lower
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Residential Development and Local Area Decision-Making in South East Queensland in May 2025

What concerns do you have with residential development (building more homes to accommodate more people) in your local area?
South East Queensland 2025 (n = 531)
Australia (n = 4907)
Increased traffic and congestion
69%
46%
Rising housing costs
42%
35%
Lack of affordable housing
41%
38%
Strain on infrastructure and public services
40%
42%
Loss of green space or natural areas
24%
28%
Overcrowding
21%
18%
Environmental impact
18%
20%
Changes to neighbourhood character
16%
21%
Noise or disruption during construction
9%
10%
Other
3%
5%
None/not applicable to my area
2%
5%
Don't know
0%
1%
Significantly higher
Significantly lower
What other concerns do you have with residential development in your local area?
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What do you see as the potential benefits of residential development (building more homes to accommodate more people) in your local area?
South East Queensland 2025 (n = 531)
Australia (n = 4906)
Increased housing availability
52%
49%
Support for local businesses and services
39%
42%
More affordable housing options
37%
37%
Improved infrastructure and amenities (e.g. roads, parks)
21%
18%
Revitalisation of underused or vacant areas
19%
20%
Enhanced public transport options
16%
13%
Attraction of new residents and economic growth
16%
23%
Greater diversity in housing types
12%
10%
Opportunity for more sustainable, energy-efficient housing
11%
15%
Other
4%
4%
None/not applicable to my area
13%
13%
Don’t know
3%
3%
Significantly higher
Significantly lower
What do you see as the other potential benefits of residential development in your local area?
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To what extent do you feel your community’s views are considered in local area decision-making?
South East Queensland 2025 (n = 531)
Australia (n = 4907)
Very well considered
3%
4%
Somewhat well considered
29%
27%
Not well considered
31%
34%
Not considered at all
30%
27%
Don't know
7%
9%
Significantly higher
Significantly lower