Fed: Study maps nation's wellbeing

AAP General News (Australia)
02-13-2006
Fed: Study maps nation's wellbeing

SYDNEY, Feb 13 AAP - The saddest Australians live in the heart of the country's richest
and most expensive city, while the happiest voters live in a poor rural electorate in
Queensland, a map of the nation's wellbeing shows.

The Deakin University study found the electorate of Wide Bay, one of the most disadvantaged
areas in Australia, contains the happiest people, while the saddest citizens are those
living in the seat of Sydney, The Australian newspaper reports.

The study examined people's wellbeing by considering standard of living, health, achievement
in life, personal relationships, sense of safety, connection to the community and future
security.

Eight of the top nine happiest electorates were poor and isolated rural communities,
while all of the saddest seats were metropolitan or outer metropolitan seats.

Sydney MP Tanya Plibersek said she was "sad" but not surprised to learn her electorate
contained the unhappiest voters in Australia, and believed it was because the seat was
"full of extremes".

Wide Bay MP Warren Truss said the study's findings proved "you don't need to be rich
to be happy".

Overall, Victoria was the happiest state and Western Australia the saddest, the paper reported.

AAP dcr/ao

KEYWORD: WELLBEING

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