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Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Perth are among the most inclusive cities in the Asia Pacific, but there is one metric in which Australia consistently falls short.
Cushman & Wakefield’s Inclusive Cities Barometer saw four Australian cities perform strongly for liveability, safety and multiculturalism, but high housing and rent costs continue to let residents down.
The report, which compared 35 APAC cities according to their rates of social, spatial, economic and environmental inclusivity, aimed to spark a data-driven dialogue on real estate’s role in fostering urban inclusion.
According to the report, inclusive cities are defined as “urban environments that prioritise diversity, equity and accessibility for all residents, regardless of their background, identity or socio-economic status”.
Cities that are socially inclusive have high levels of tolerance for people from marginalised backgrounds and strong social infrastructure, while those that are economically inclusive redistributed revenue fairly across the population.
Spatially inclusive cities have a fair income-to-housing cost ratio and good public transport, while environmentally inclusive cities have good air quality, green spaces and low carbon emissions.
“We analysed 4,000 data points covering 110 variables to compile what we believe is the industry’s most comprehensive dataset on inclusive cities,” said Dr Dominic Brown, head of international research at Cushman & Wakefield.
“The 35 cities included in this first report are at varying stages of their journey towards more inclusive and vibrant urban environments and by analysing their progress, we can highlight exemplary successes and outline actionable pathways for improvement.”
Noral Wild, CEO of Cushman & Wakefield Australia and New Zealand, stated she’s “immensely proud to see Australian and New Zealand cities leading the way in our Inclusive Cities Barometer” but noted “there is still more to do”.
“While these cities have made significant strides, there remain areas where inclusivity can be further enhanced. Addressing challenges such as affordable housing and education and ensuring equitable economic opportunities for all communities are essential steps forward,” said Wild.
Across the four Australian cities that performed well, high living costs and housing unaffordability persist as significant concerns in all cities except Perth.
The report also noted that the data used in the survey did not account for uneven distribution of infrastructure and benefits within cities, which it noted was “a critical component of social inclusivity”.
“It is worth noting that there is no such thing as a perfect city. All the 35 cities have their respective strengths and diverse backgrounds and challenges, and this barometer serves to provide learning points and actions that they can adopt and adapt as they pursue their urban inclusivity agenda,” Brown concluded.
