Community Well-being
Statistics in Action
NatStats Conference 2010
Sydney, 15 -17 September
Mary Doherty General Manager Sanctuary Energy
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Presentation Overview
 Community Responses to measurements of wellbeing
 Potential issues and associated challenges for the future
 Regional Recognition (I Love the Central Coast Campaign)
 Importance of Statistics in supporting effective community response
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Quality of life in the Central Coast
1. Achievements in life
2. Standard of living
3. Personal relationships
4. Community connectedness
5. Feelings of safety
6. Future security
7. Health
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Key Findings
• Personal attributes and the external living environment affect
quality of life
• Quality of life can be measured at both an individual and
community level
• Governments can make a difference to quality of life by
focusing on the external environment
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Transport
 74% of residents nominated their car as their main mode of
transport
 33.4% were not satisfied with the public transport service
 frequency of service was the key issue
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Education
 Census, and other ABS survey data, indicates education gap in
the Central Coast Region vs. the State
 Traditionally low skill base on Central Coast
 Most employment growth has been occurring in the
“knowledge-based” industries and these new jobs require
employees with skills and high qualification level
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Environment
 Over 80% of Central Coast residents had visited a natural
environment
 Visitation was associated with higher wellbeing and quality of
life
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Deliverables
• Recognised Central Coast
Region
• Support for sustainable local
economic development
• Improved amenity and
liveability
• Improved access within the
region
• Highly developed connectivity
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What Next?
 The most outstanding issue that the community faced was lack of
identity and recognition as its own region
 Tribe, sense of place, ownership and pride was identified as a key
to bring the different groups and sectors together
 Lip service was heard by the community from local, state and
federal politicians but that’s all there was. If there was to be a
change it had to happen from within
 The
campaign was born
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Facebook - Internet- Community
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Outcomes
 The Australian Bureau of Statistics after three years changed the
classification of the region from Gosford - Wyong to the NSW
Central Coast for statistical data. Yippee!
 The State government in the last five weeks officially recognised
the NSW Central Coast as a region in its own right. The Federal
Government also has recognised the region
 Health, Education, Transport and Development are being addressed
from a measurable and transparent perspective (KPI’s work!)
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The Future
 In partnership with the Australian Bureau of Statics there is a plan to
produce “Spotlight on the Central Coast Website” utilising local,
state and federal government backing
 The future is knowledge, measurable data, education and the
environment
 The community seeks engagement through social media, instant
news coverage and the ability to access information through the
internet
 The future depends on keeping up with society’s need and thirst for
accurate and useful information
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