Points for Action

To maintain and improve quality of life in our cities, coordinated and focused action is required to:

• Plan for long-term growth in our cities
• Work with central government to facilitate affordable housing options
• Promote economic sustainability and plan for an inclusive, innovative economy that reduces poverty, deprivation, disparities and the effects of these on city residents
• Work to minimise the social and physical issues associated with living in urban environments such as noise, graffiti, air
  quality and beach and stream water quality
• Improve access to key services, in particular General Practitioners, in the 12 cities and the rest of New Zealand
• Focus on making sure people feel safe in their city centres, particularly at night
• Promote actions that enhance and sustain the environment, such as increasing the use of alternatives to private motor vehicles
• Improve the wellbeing and safety of our cities’ children
• Address the significant over-representation of Maori and Pacific Islands students in school suspensions, stand-downs and exclusions
• Work to raise public awareness of how councils make decisions and how people can be involved in decision-making
• Continue to monitor progress towards achieving the quality of life outcomes for our 12 cities.

Summary of Key Results

Most residents in the 12 cities enjoy a high standard of living and rate their quality of life positively. The quality of life is improving with increases in life expectancy, median and household income and improvements in safety.

Notable findings include:

• The vast majority of residents in New Zealand and in the 12 cities say they have a positive overall quality of life
• Life expectancy has increased across all 12 cities
• Our cities are growing in population. Over the next 20 years, the majority of New Zealand’s total population growth is projected to take place in the 12 cities. At present, our cities account for more than half of New Zealand’s population and have grown at a faster rate than the national average
• The pace of growth in our cities is placing considerable pressure on the environment, infrastructure and social fabric of our cities
• Some cities are facing environmental issues such as traffic congestion, poor air quality, poor beach and stream quality, the management of waste and protecting the cities’ biodiversity
• Residents in our cities are more likely to rate issues associated with urban life, such as graffiti, vandalism, litter and noise, as concerns than those residing in the rest of New Zealand
• Our cities are not just growing in population, they are becoming increasingly culturally diverse
• Most of our residents have a sense of connection with others, although some city residents experience social isolation
• There are continuing and, in some cases, increasing disparities between groups of people in our cities
• The burden of socioeconomic disadvantage is borne largely by Maori and Pacific Islands people, teenage mothers and sole parent families
• Home ownership in our cities has been declining, but is still the dominant form of tenure. Maori and Pacific Islands people are least likely to own their own homes
• During the past five years, all 12 cities have experienced growing levels of estimated Gross Domestic Product, low unemployment levels and an overall increase in inflation adjusted earnings. During the same period the total mortgage debt across the country has grown by $59.8 billion
• Over half of the nation’s wealth is owned by just 10.0% of the population. Conversely, more than half the population owns only 5.0% of the nation’s total net worth
• There has been a decline in the rate of total recorded crime and recorded burglary, car and drugs and anti-social offences over the period 2002/2003 to 2005/2006
• Attendance in early childhood education is increasing, and those in our cities are comparatively well qualified. However, there has been an increase in the truancy rate and numbers of students receiving early leaving exemptions
• All residents in the 12 cities have access to kerbside recycling, and energy efficiency projects are underway in most of the cities. Air and water pollution was perceived as a concern in some cities
• More than half of the residents in most of the 12 cities consider their public transport as affordable, safe and convenient. However, the majority of residents use a motor vehicle to get to work
• Only one third of residents in our cities believe that they have an understanding of how their council makes decisions, although more than half believe the public has some influence on those decisions
• The pace at which changes in our cities have occurred since the last Quality of Life report in 2003 highlights the importance of regular and ongoing monitoring.