Social Indicators

New Zealand's large cities are becoming more diverse, with residents coming from a greater number of different ethnic and cultural backgrounds. For many new residents, there appear to be hurdles that discourage civil and political involvement. Effective civil and political systems allow our communities to be governed in a manner that promotes justice and fairness, and therefore a better quality of life.

The Treaty of Waitangi is integral to the enactment of rights for New Zealand’s indigenous people. City councils play a key role in facilitating the involvement of Māori and other citizens in the governance of their localities.

Health

Housing

Household composition can reflect the impact of changing social trends (eg later marriages, lower fertility rates and independent living), economic pressures (such as housing costs, tertiary education fees and incomes), and cultural preferences (eg extended family and intergenerational living). Changes in the number of households and people’s living arrangements can have major implications for urban communities and their environments.

These issues may directly affect the appropriateness of existing housing stock, the types of dwellings people choose to live in, the amount of residential land used, the location of housing, and growth in associated social and physical infrastructure. Changing household composition can also have an impact on the demand for housing.

Indicator	Explanation	Representative measure	Availability of measure
Household size	Crowding is an indicator of housing affordability. People having difficulty affording their accommodation because of low income may share with others as a way to reduce overall housing costs. It is also an indicator of housing need, providing information on the suitability of a dwelling for the people occupying it. Living in crowded situations can contribute to poor health outcomes such as respiratory and infectious diseases (particularly meningococcal disease). This indicator measures the proportion of people in private dwellings who are living in crowded households. In this analysis, crowded households are those that have two or more bedrooms fewer than they need.	Average household size.	Available five-yearly at all levels through contact with Statistics New Zealand.
Number of households	Use of dwelling stock varies across New Zealand. Dwellings that do not suit the needs of New Zealand households may remain unoccupied over time. Additionally, large numbers of baches or holiday homes may result in a high percentage of unoccupied dwellings in popular holiday destinations.	Number of occupied private dwellings.	Available five-yearly at all levels through contact with Statistics New Zealand.

Leisure and recreation

Both leisure and recreation are crucial components of a balanced and healthy lifestyle. Leisure is when people can do what they want, separate from work and other commitments. Recreation and leisure play an important role in social well-being by providing people with a sense of identity and personal autonomy. Involvement in leisure activities gives greater meaning to individual and community life and contributes to people's overall quality of life. Recreation can encourage personal growth, self-expression and increased learning opportunities, satisfying needs not met in people's non-leisure time. For many people, participation in leisure and recreation increases their physical and mental health. Recreation often involves a physical activity or sport. Increased physical activity can reduce health problems, and promote greater productivity at work, especially when combined with a balanced diet and healthy lifestyle.

Indicator	Explanation	Representative measure	Availability of measure
Participation in sport and active leisure	People participate in sport and active leisure for a wide variety of reasons: for physical fitness and mental well-being, enjoyment and entertainment, for personal growth and development, and as a means to meet new people.	Activity level of adults and young people.	Available regionally but not at territorial authority level, through contact with Sport and Recreation New Zealand⁽¹⁾.

(1) Sample size great enough to produce regional indicators, but insufficient to produce indicators at territorial authority level.

Safety

Feeling and being safe and secure within our homes, communities and cities is a basic human right. It is a key determinant of perceptions of health, well-being and quality of life in cities. As cities grow, the need for safe social and physical environments where people are able to participate fully in their communities becomes an increasing challenge.

Indicator	Explanation	Representative measure	Availability of measure
Criminal victimisation	Crime is a topic of great public concern. For many, the concern emerges from a perception that rising levels of crime constitute an increasing threat to their safety, property and sense of well-being. The criminal victimisation rate provides a broad measure of personal safety and well-being. Surveys of criminal victimisation generally provide a more comprehensive picture of victimisation than police data, as not all offending is reported or recorded.	Criminal victimisation rate by major offence type.	Available three-yearly at regional level, but not at territorial authority level, through contact with Ministry of Justice⁽¹⁾.
Perceptions of safety	Feeling safe is fundamental to well-being. Anxiety and worries about victimisation detract from well-being in themselves, and may cause people to alter their behaviour to avoid being victimised. This limits people's options and can reduce their freedom. People's subjective perceptions about safety are not always linked to the actual risk of becoming a crime victim.	Proportion of adults aged 15 years and over who felt unsafe walking alone in their neighbourhood after dark.	Available two-yearly at regional level, but not at territorial authority level, through contact with Ministry of Justice⁽¹⁾.
Road casualties	Road deaths are a major cause of premature death, especially among young adults. Deaths, injuries and disability resulting from motor vehicle crashes inflict considerable pain and suffering on individuals, families and communities, as well as on other road users, emergency service providers, health workers and others.	Road casualty rates.	Available annually at all levels through contact with Land Transport New Zealand.

(1) Sample size great enough to produce regional indicators, but insufficient to produce indicators at territorial authority level.

Skills/knowledge

Understanding the state of education provides an insight into the knowledge and skills of city residents as they apply these to improve their quality of life. Educational achievement is essential for effective participation in society. City societies are becoming increasingly knowledge-based and city economies require innovative solutions to meet market demands.

Indicator	Explanation	Representative measure	Availability of measure
Educational attainment	Measuring the qualification levels of a city’s population aged 15 years and over helps to identify the job readiness of the future labour force. An educated population adds to the vibrancy and creativity of a city and is needed to remain competitive in the global economy.	Proportion of adults aged 25–64 years old with educational achievement to at least upper secondary and tertiary level.	Available quarterly at regional level through contact with Statistics New Zealand and five-yearly at all levels through Statistics New Zealand⁽¹⁾.
Early childhood education	The stimulation of learning at an early age has an important bearing on future educational achievement. Social and academic development within early childhood programmes is likely to make the transition to formal education easier. Early childhood education can help reduce the achievement gap separating low-income and more advantaged children. As disadvantage tends to be cumulative, attaining strong foundations early is important.	Early childhood education attendance by year one students.	Available annually at all levels through contact with Ministry of Education.

Civil and political participation

Health

Housing

Leisure and recreation

Safety

Skills/knowledge

Social connectedness