QUALITY OF LIFE SURVEY 2018 TOPLINE REPORT Copyright © 2017 The Nielsen Company. Confidential and proprietary. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Large-scale and complex research projects such as this require a combined effort. This research project was undertaken by Nielsen on behalf of the eight participating councils. A steering group from four councils managed the project on behalf of the other councils, and worked closely with representatives from Nielsen throughout this project. The members of the Quality of Life management group were: Alison Reid, Auckland Council Kath Jamieson, Christchurch City Council David Stuart and Grace Newman-Hall, Wellington City Council Suzie Ballantyne, Dunedin City Council. The large team at Nielsen who worked on this project included Amanda Dudding, Tessa Hoffman and Antoinette Hastings. We would like to acknowledge and thank all those respondents who took the time to complete their surveys. This project would not be possible without your input. Document referencing ISBN 978-1-98-856446-3 (Print) ISBN 978-1-98-856447-0 (PDF) Recommended citation Nielsen. (2018). Quality of Life survey 2018: Topline report. A report prepared on behalf of Auckland Council, Wellington City Council, Christchurch City Council, and Dunedin City Council. Wellington, New Zealand:Author Quality of Life Survey 2018 KEY HIGHLIGHTS QUALITY OF LIFE TOP 3 REASONS FOR QUALITY OF LIFE POSITIVE NEGATIVE 84% 30% RATE THEIR OVERALL 1 Relationships 1 Poor financial situation QUALITY OF LIFE SAY THEIR QUALITY OF POSITIVELY LIFE HAS INCREASED 2 Financial situation 2 Poor health and wellbeing COMPARED WITH 12 MONTHS AGO 3 Health and wellbeing 3 Housing (e.g. quality, cost) BUILT AND NATURAL ENVIRONMENT PERCEPTIONS OF ISSUES IN CITY / LOCAL AREA: 80% % VIEW AS A PROBLEM IN LAST 12 MONTHS THINK THEIR CITY OR 64% LOCAL AREA IS A 55% 50% GREAT PLACE TO LIVE 44% 25% 61% ARE PROUD OF HOW THEIR CITY OR LOCAL AREA LOOKS AND FEELS RUBBISH WATER GRAFFITI OR NOISE AIR POLLUTION TAGGING POLLUTION POLLUTION HOUSING PERCEPTIONS OF HOUSING: TOP 3 REASONS HOME IS % STRONGLY AGREE OR AGREE HOUSING IN WINTER CONDITIONS: UNSUITABLE: 84% 82% 76% 1 The home is too small 66% 47% 26% 2 Home is too cold / damp 3 Home is in poor condition / needs LIVE IN HOME IS HOME IS HEATING SYSTEM CAN AFFORD TO HEAT HAVE PROBLEMS maintenance SUITABLE AREA SUITABLE AFFORDABLE KEEPS HOME WARM HOME PROPERLY WITH DAMP/MOULD TRANSPORT PERCEPTIONS OF PUBLIC TRANSPORT IN LOCAL AREA: 26% % STRONGLY AGREE OR AGREE USE PUBLIC 74% TRANSPORT WEEKLY 68% 55% (OR MORE OFTEN) 48% 44% SCHOOL SAFE EASY TO ACCESS FREQUENT RELIABLE AFFORDABLE The 2018 Quality of Life survey is a partnership between eight New Zealand councils and measures people’s perceptions over several domains related to quality of life. A random selection of residents from each council area were invited to participate either online or via a hardcopy questionnaire. The survey was completed by 7615 people aged 18 years and over between 10 April – 3 June 2018. Source: Quality of Life Survey conducted by Nielsen, 2018 HEALTH AND WELLBEING 94% 20% 30% ALWAYS/MOST OF THE HAVE A WHO 5 INDEX HAVE SOMEONE TO HELP IF THEY TIME EXPERIENCE OF LESS THAN 13, WERE FACED WITH A SERIOUS STRESS WITH A INDICATING POOR ILLNESS OR INJURY, OR NEEDED NEGATIVE EFFECT WELLBEING EMOTIONAL SUPPORT CRIME AND SAFETY PERCEPTIONS OF ISSUES IN CITY / LOCAL AREA: % VIEW AS A PROBLEM IN LAST 12 MONTHS 66% 55% 53% 48% 51% 48% 45% 40% FEEL SAFE IN THEIR CITY CENTRE AFTER DARK DANGEROUS CAR THEFT OR PEOPLE ALCOHOL OR PEOPLE UNSAFE VANDALISM DRIVING DAMAGE TO CAR BEGGING DRUGS SLEEPING PEOPLE ROUGH COMMUNITY, CULTURE AND SOCIAL NETWORKS 71% 92% 65% 58% BELIEVE A SENSE OF COMMUNITY IN THEIR HAD POSITIVE NEVER OR SAY CULTURAL NEIGHBOURHOOD IS INTERACTIONS RARELY FEEL DIVERSITY IMPORTANT 52% WITH ISOLATED MAKES THEIR NEIGHBOURS CITY A BETTER FEEL A SENSE OF PLACE TO LIVE COMMUNITY IN THEIR NEIGHBOURHOOD ECONOMIC WELLBEING 60% 45% ADDITIONAL 71% HAVE MORE THAN SATISFIED WITH EMPLOYED (FULL ENOUGH OR 34% WORK/LIFE OR PART TIME) ENOUGH INCOME TO HAVE BALANCE COVER COSTS OF ‘JUST ENOUGH’ EVERYDAY NEEDS AUCKLAND COUNCIL PROCESSES HAMILTON TAURANGA PORIRUA 32% 34% HUTT CITY WELLINGTON ARE CONFIDENT IN THEIR BELIEVE THE PUBLIC HAS AN LOCAL COUNCIL’S INFLUENCE ON COUNCIL CHRISTCHURCH DECISION-MAKING DECISION-MAKING DUNEDIN Source: Quality of Life Survey conducted by Nielsen, 2018 CONTENTS 1. INTRODUCTION ........................................................ 1 1.1 BACKGROUND ........................................................................................................... 1 1.2 COUNCIL INVOLVEMENT .......................................................................................... 1 1.3 PROJECT MANAGEMENT ......................................................................................... 2 1.4 FINAL SAMPLE ........................................................................................................... 3 2. RESEARCH DESIGN ................................................. 4 2.1 METHODOLOGY AND SAMPLING OVERVIEW ........................................................ 4 2.2 RESPONSE RATES .................................................................................................... 4 2.3 QUESTIONNAIRE DESIGN ........................................................................................ 4 2.4 NOTES ABOUT THIS REPORT .................................................................................. 5 3. QUALITY OF LIFE ..................................................... 7 3.1 ABOUT QUALITY OF LIFE MEASUREMENT ............................................................. 7 3.2 OVERALL QUALITY OF LIFE ..................................................................................... 8 3.3 REASONS FOR QUALITY OF LIFE RESPONSE ....................................................... 9 3.4 QUALITY OF LIFE COMPARED WITH 12 MONTHS PRIOR ................................... 12 4. BUILT AND NATURAL ENVIRONMENT ................. 13 4.1 PERCEPTION OF CITY/LOCAL AREA AS A GREAT PLACE TO LIVE ................... 13 4.2 PERCEPTION OF CITY/LOCAL AREA COMPARED TO 12 MONTHS EARLIER ......................................................................................................................... 14 4.3 REASONS FOR NEGATIVE CHANGE ..................................................................... 15 4.4 REASONS FOR POSITIVE CHANGE ....................................................................... 17 4.5 PRIDE IN LOOK AND FEEL OF CITY/LOCAL AREA ............................................... 19 4.6 PERCEIVED ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS IN CITY/LOCAL AREA .................... 20 5. HOUSING ................................................................. 26 5.1 AFFORDABILITY OF HOUSING COSTS .................................................................. 26 5.2 SUITABILITY OF HOME TYPE ................................................................................. 28 5.3 SUITABILITY OF LOCATION OF HOME .................................................................. 31 5.4 HOME HAS A PROBLEM WITH DAMP OR MOULD ................................................ 34 5.5 HEATING SYSTEM KEEPS HOME WARM WHEN USED ....................................... 35 5.6 CAN AFFORD TO HEAT HOME PROPERLY ........................................................... 36 6. PUBLIC TRANSPORT ............................................. 41 6.1 FREQUENCY OF USE OF PUBLIC TRANSPORT ................................................... 41 6.2 PERCEPTIONS OF PUBLIC TRANSPORT .............................................................. 42 7. HEALTH AND WELLBEING .................................... 47 7.1 OVERALL HEALTH ................................................................................................... 47 7.2 FREQUENCY OF DOING PHYSICAL ACTIVITY IN PREVIOUS WEEK .................. 48 7.3 STRESS .................................................................................................................... 49 7.4 AVAILABILITY OF SUPPORT ................................................................................... 50 7.5 WHO 5 WELLBEING INDEX ..................................................................................... 51 8. CRIME AND SAFETY .............................................. 53 Quality of Life Survey 2018 8.1 RATING OF ISSUES AS PROBLEM IN CITY/LOCAL AREA (SUMMARY) .............. 53 8.2 SENSE OF SAFETY.................................................................................................. 61 9. COMMUNITY, CULTURE AND SOCIAL NETWORKS ................................................................. 66 9.1 IMPORTANCE OF SENSE OF COMMUNITY ........................................................... 67 9.2 SENSE OF COMMUNITY EXPERIENCED ............................................................... 68 9.3 PARTICIPATION IN SOCIAL NETWORKS AND GROUPS ...................................... 69 9.4 CONTACT WITH PEOPLE IN THE NEIGHBOURHOOD .......................................... 71 9.5 FREQUENCY OF FEELING ISOLATED ................................................................... 73 9.6 TRUST ....................................................................................................................... 74 9.7 IMPACT OF GREATER CULTURAL DIVERSITY ..................................................... 75 9.8 RICH AND DIVERSE ARTS SCENE ......................................................................... 76 10. ECONOMIC WELLBEING ...................................... 77 10.1 EMPLOYMENT STATUS .......................................................................................