The Brisbane-South East Queensland Region, Australia: Subjective Assessment of Quality of Urban Life and Changes over Time

Abstract

The results of two surveys of {QOL} conducted in the {Brisbane-SEQ} region, Australia’s third largest metropolis, conducted in 1997 and 2003 are discussed. The studies conceptualized {QOUL} as being multi-layered – in the sense of its representation at the individual, family, local community and wider metropolitan levels – and multi-dimensional in its reflection on various aspects of urban life. The chapter summarizes the findings from the analysis the data collected through the surveys, emphasizing the degree of spatial variations across the region in survey respondent’s subjective evaluations of a series of {QOL} domains and their attitudes to and perceptions of a number of planning issues confronting the region. The degree of change and stability in those subjective assessments over the period 1997–2003 are discussed.