A measure of livability in multicultural suburbs of Melbourne

The literature on liveability largely consists of empirical studies which measure and compare liveability of cities and countries on different bases. A number of major liveability studies have been conducted which may be summarised as ‘quality of life surveys’, ‘cost of living surveys’ and ‘other specific surveys’. However there is no established theoretical framework or uniform definition of liveability. Each of these studies uses different set of liveability indicators. One such survey which was conducted to measure the liveability of suburbs of Melbourne was the Deloitte Tract study which has ranked Melbourne’s young postcode of Point Cook at 309 and Craigieburn at 317 out of 321 suburbs on their liveability index measurement scale. Lack of Infrastructure, bad telecommunication services, lack of proximity to schools & train stations and crime were some of the key reasons which were found to be responsible for Point Cook and Craigieburn’s low score on the liveability scale. On the contrary, a survey conducted for the residents of Point Cook and Craigieburn revealed an overwhelmingly positive response of residents towards their neighbourhoods, communities and suburbs. These communities are seen by their own residents to be friendly, cooperative, helpful, harmonious and peaceful. With a focus on the results of this survey which investigates the living experiences of residents of Point Cook and Craigieburn as a part of a larger PhD study, this paper challenges some of the pre-defined indicators and categories for measuring liveability. In the light of some of the responses from the residents and their high level of satisfaction in living in these suburbs, it raises questions on how should liveability be measured in these suburbs and whether a qualitative evaluation and assessment of the living experiences by the members of the community needs to be incorporated in this process.