The Brisbane Life Study, and why it matters to our city in 2024

Welcome to a new series we are calling the Brisbane Life Study.

For some months now, Brisbane Times has been paying particular attention to quality-of-life factors and liveability issues. We have spoken to the people who live, work, study and play here. We have drawn on expert research and data. We have sought to put aside our preconceived notions about the best city in the world, and determine what constitutes best practice, what is considered a positive outcome, and how other cities compare.

So why now, you ask?

The Brisbane Life Study examines what it feels like to live, work, study and play in our city.Credit: Nordacious

As you know, Brisbane is one of the fastest-growing cities in Australia, and south-east Queensland is being transformed by interstate migration and urban development. We are now being ranked against bigger cities in Australia, and better-known cities around the world, and have drawn the spotlight.

The evolution of the Queensland capital gathered pace some years ago, and is set to culminate with Brisbane hosting the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2032.

And, yet, like other cities, Brisbane continues to experience cost-of-living and housing pressures, crime, congestion and under-employment. The politics is heated and emotions often run high, underlining how much we love our city and want the best for each other.

Whenever we run headlines on these issues, many readers make comment on government priorities, identify their own personal challenges and opportunities, and talk about the haves and the have-nots. Discussion invariably turns to what Brisbane was, is, and will be if trends continue. People talk about what it feels like to live here – and whether Brisbane is changing.

That’s where the Brisbane Life Study comes in. It is a snapshot of the city’s performance across several areas commonly used to assess quality of life and liveability. It is a baseline reading of what it feels like to live in Brisbane in 2024.

Now, this is not political commentary, a comprehensive policy guide, nor a hard-nosed economic audit. It does not replace our regular news reporting. Rather, it aims to identify a starting point for our future discussions about planning, infrastructure and investment decisions. It allows us to see Brisbane through a new lens.

We will revisit the Brisbane Life Study on a regular basis, guided by your feedback and the city’s performance on the measures we have identified. We expect elected officials and private businesses to keep these measures in mind, and we will hold them accountable for decisions that change what it feels like to live here. Of course, we will applaud good decisions, and good outcomes, and encourage you to do the same.

The Brisbane Life Study attempts to help us understand our place in the world. It is about Brisbane, for Brisbane, and we hope you find it informative.

This series is produced by Brisbane Times, in collaboration with the Australian Science Media Centre, with support from the Walkley Foundation-administered Meta Public Interest Journalism Fund. Artwork is by Nordacious.