The People of Australia
The warm climate of Australia, in coordination with the beauty that enhances the country, lend themselves to the reason many Australians consider themselves outdoorsy, and is a popular reason cited when people provide reasons they decided to move to Australia. Almost 70% of the population exercises at least once a week, most enjoying activities such as participating in a sport, swimming, and doing aerobics. Another influence of the outdoor lifestyle seen in Australia is the diet of the nation, which largely consists of seasonal, fresh food, especially seafood. 75% of Australians live in metropolitan areas and have traditions rooted in many ethnicities, as it is a country that has experienced and welcomed migration. Australians are guaranteed by law many rights considered essential in democratic Western life, such as freedom of speech, religion, equality under the law, equality for both sexes, equality of opportunity, and more ("Australian Lifestyle").
The quality of life in Australia is widely considered to be overwhelmingly positive, as it is ranked second in the 2014 Human Development Index, a statistic provided by the United Nations that combines many variables including life expectancy, literacy rates, gross national income per capita, and more standards that help to gauge human development ("Human Development Reports"). Furthermore, Australia is the top-ranking country for civic engagement and remains above average in most other categories, including average income and wealth, health status, and education and skills. As for how Australians rank themselves, the OCED reports that on a scale of 1 to 10, when asked to rate “their general satisfaction with life,” Australians provided a score of 7.3, 0.8 above average. Compared with 38 other countries, Australia came in 9th on this index ("Australia").
The warm climate of Australia, in coordination with the beauty that enhances the country, lend themselves to the reason many Australians consider themselves outdoorsy, and is a popular reason cited when people provide reasons they decided to move to Australia. Almost 70% of the population exercises at least once a week, most enjoying activities such as participating in a sport, swimming, and doing aerobics. Another influence of the outdoor lifestyle seen in Australia is the diet of the nation, which largely consists of seasonal, fresh food, especially seafood. 75% of Australians live in metropolitan areas and have traditions rooted in many ethnicities, as it is a country that has experienced and welcomed migration. Australians are guaranteed by law many rights considered essential in democratic Western life, such as freedom of speech, religion, equality under the law, equality for both sexes, equality of opportunity, and more ("Australian Lifestyle").
The quality of life in Australia is widely considered to be overwhelmingly positive, as it is ranked second in the 2014 Human Development Index, a statistic provided by the United Nations that combines many variables including life expectancy, literacy rates, gross national income per capita, and more standards that help to gauge human development ("Human Development Reports"). Furthermore, Australia is the top-ranking country for civic engagement and remains above average in most other categories, including average income and wealth, health status, and education and skills. As for how Australians rank themselves, the OCED reports that on a scale of 1 to 10, when asked to rate “their general satisfaction with life,” Australians provided a score of 7.3, 0.8 above average. Compared with 38 other countries, Australia came in 9th on this index ("Australia").
con Challenges facing Australia
The majority of Australians, according to a survey conducted by NBA Group Economics, consider the rising cost of living to be their main concern. This category received 50% of all responses and remained the largest issue across all demographics, except those over 50, who cited healthcare as their main concern (Economics et al). Australians were also concerned with issues like asylum seekers and terrorism, the leading reasons Australia has ended up on the Human Rights Watch list for the first time in 2015, and again in 2016. The Australian government has resumed the practice of offshore processing and is harshly criticized for their inadequate detention centers and extensive screenings of those seeking asylum, creating a cause for concern regarding the treatment of those seeking asylum by the Australian government. Another issue cited by the Human Rights Watch are new, broadly defined counterterrorism laws which restrict travel to certain areas and allow specific warrants to retain extremely broad access to private lives. Other issues that were cited, but less emphasized, include Aboriginal rights and marriage equality ("World Report 2015: Australia").
The majority of Australians, according to a survey conducted by NBA Group Economics, consider the rising cost of living to be their main concern. This category received 50% of all responses and remained the largest issue across all demographics, except those over 50, who cited healthcare as their main concern (Economics et al). Australians were also concerned with issues like asylum seekers and terrorism, the leading reasons Australia has ended up on the Human Rights Watch list for the first time in 2015, and again in 2016. The Australian government has resumed the practice of offshore processing and is harshly criticized for their inadequate detention centers and extensive screenings of those seeking asylum, creating a cause for concern regarding the treatment of those seeking asylum by the Australian government. Another issue cited by the Human Rights Watch are new, broadly defined counterterrorism laws which restrict travel to certain areas and allow specific warrants to retain extremely broad access to private lives. Other issues that were cited, but less emphasized, include Aboriginal rights and marriage equality ("World Report 2015: Australia").
Beauty in Australia
Australia has a rich and intriguing history, as it was used by Britain as a penal colony to house convicts; however, what truly makes Australia beautiful is the breathtaking geography that Captain James Cook chartered for Britain in 1770 (“The History of Australia- Tourism Australia”). Second only to the Sydney Opera House, the Great Barrier Reef has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1981 and has always been beloved by tourists. Another impressive World Heritage Center located in Australia is Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, centered on the Ulura rock, pictured below. Along with the Sydney Opera House being a major tourist attraction, the Sydney Harbor Bridge is the largest bridge made of steel worldwide. Other natural wonders located in Australia include the UNESCO World Heritage Site, Blue Mountains National Park, a Wet Tropics World Heritage Area, Daintree National Park, World Heritage Site Kakadu National Park, and many more (“12 Top-Rated Tourist Attractions in Australia”).
Australia has a rich and intriguing history, as it was used by Britain as a penal colony to house convicts; however, what truly makes Australia beautiful is the breathtaking geography that Captain James Cook chartered for Britain in 1770 (“The History of Australia- Tourism Australia”). Second only to the Sydney Opera House, the Great Barrier Reef has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1981 and has always been beloved by tourists. Another impressive World Heritage Center located in Australia is Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, centered on the Ulura rock, pictured below. Along with the Sydney Opera House being a major tourist attraction, the Sydney Harbor Bridge is the largest bridge made of steel worldwide. Other natural wonders located in Australia include the UNESCO World Heritage Site, Blue Mountains National Park, a Wet Tropics World Heritage Area, Daintree National Park, World Heritage Site Kakadu National Park, and many more (“12 Top-Rated Tourist Attractions in Australia”).
Works Cited:
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"Australian Lifestyle." Australian Visa Bureau News. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Jan. 2017.
Economics, NAB Group, David De Garis, Agribusiness View, and Tapas Strickland. "Biggest Issues Facing Australia Today: Special Report." Business Research and Insights. N.p., 29 Jan. 2015. Web. 08 Jan. 2017.
"Human Development Reports." | Human Development Reports. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Jan. 2017.
"The History of Australia - Tourism Australia." The History of Australia - Tourism Australia. N.p., 16 Oct. 2016. Web. 08 Jan. 2017.
"World Report 2015: Australia." Human Rights Watch. N.p., 25 Jan. 2016. Web. 08 Jan. 2017.
"12 Top-Rated Tourist Attractions in Australia." PlanetWare. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Jan. 2017.
"Australia." OECD Better Life Index. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Jan. 2017.
"Australian Lifestyle." Australian Visa Bureau News. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Jan. 2017.
Economics, NAB Group, David De Garis, Agribusiness View, and Tapas Strickland. "Biggest Issues Facing Australia Today: Special Report." Business Research and Insights. N.p., 29 Jan. 2015. Web. 08 Jan. 2017.
"Human Development Reports." | Human Development Reports. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Jan. 2017.
"The History of Australia - Tourism Australia." The History of Australia - Tourism Australia. N.p., 16 Oct. 2016. Web. 08 Jan. 2017.
"World Report 2015: Australia." Human Rights Watch. N.p., 25 Jan. 2016. Web. 08 Jan. 2017.
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