Queensland performing well on environmental quality - underperforms on supporting basic human needs and opportunity

Queensland is performing well on maintaining environmental quality, but is underperforming on overall social progress, according to the Centre for Social Impact’s (CSI) Australian Social Progress Index (ASPI), as discussed in a webinar today.

The webinar also discussed how Queensland is faring in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) using the ASPI tool as a proxy measure.

Key findings:

• Compared to its economic peers (based on GSP per Capita - VIC, NSW, SA, TAS), QLD is marginally underperforming on overall social progress. Notably the state is performing worse in volunteering, the gender pay gap and suicide rates
• QLD has identified health and shelter as its social priority areas through its policy spending choices in response to COVID-19. However, they may reduce environmental quality for economic gain and may jeopardise QLD’s overall social progress
• It is performing worse than expected on Basic Human Needs and Opportunity, but performing better than expected on Environmental Quality
• Based on ASPI scores, QLD is making moderate to good progress towards achieving the SDGs but needs to improve on access to information and communication, inclusiveness and access to advanced communication

ASPI researchers and webinar presenters:

• Dr Megan Weier: Research Fellow & ASPI Lead Researcher, Centre for Social Impact UNSW
• Isabella Saunders: Research Assistant, Centre for Social Impact UNSW