The Living Well in the ACT Region survey, conducted by the University of Canberra, aims to measure, track and understand the wellbeing of adult residents living in the Australian Capital Territory region of Australia. It examines factors known to affect wellbeing at the individual, household, community and regional level.
When generating data for the ACT, statistical weighting is used to address differences between the sample of people who respond to the survey, and the characteristics of the ACT adult population. Differences between groups are reported when there is a statistically significant difference based on 95% confidence intervals or other tests of significance.
Data are produced from this survey for different groups of people in the ACT. The ‘overall response’ category represents responses at the ACT population level. Where reliable estimates can be produced, data are also presented for Canberrans by: gender, age, cultural background, gender identity and sexuality, carer role and experience of disability.
Care is needed when interpreting the differences in findings between groups as the descriptive statistics published here show where there are differences in wellbeing, but not what has caused those differences in wellbeing.
The University of Canberra has been conducting the survey since 2019. As of mid-2023, the survey had been conducted 6 times. Not all questions have been measured each time the survey has been conducted.
This measure has changed over time. Initially, an exploratory human rights index was reported, based on answers to the following three survey measures:
- the ACT Government respects and protects human rights
- ACT Government decision makers consider human rights in their decision making processes
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural rights are well protected in the ACT (e.g. through the Human Rights Act).
However, exploratory calculation and use of this index identified that (i) the first two items had very similar responses suggesting they were redundant and only one should be used, and (ii) the third item was typically answered as ‘don’t know’ due to its specificity, reducing useability of responses.
An alternative item also asked in the survey – vulnerable people are protected and supported in the ACT – was also found to provide useful insight into views about whether human rights protections are achieving desired outcomes.
Data in this release, including for April 2020 is reported by the level of confidence Canberrans have that:
- the ACT Government respects and protects human rights
- vulnerable people are protected and supported in the ACT.
Data for people with disability are only available for 2023 due to a change in the way disability was defined and measured in the survey, to better reflect international best practice.
Further information about the survey can be found at Living Well in the ACT Region or by contacting Professor Jacki Schirmer at the University of Canberra.
