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Why living in Canberra leaves you feeling on top of the world Why living in Canberra leaves you feeling on top of the world
(2 months later)
So, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development has finally determined what the residents of Canberra – determinedly self-satisfied but to the rest of the nation, infuriatingly out-of-touch, even smug – have known for decades.So, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development has finally determined what the residents of Canberra – determinedly self-satisfied but to the rest of the nation, infuriatingly out-of-touch, even smug – have known for decades.
We have the highest living standard in the country, perhaps the best in the world.We have the highest living standard in the country, perhaps the best in the world.
Yes, the OECD has apparently unveiled a giant “wellbeing matching machine” that finds equivalence between cities in eight categories including health, safety, education, income and services.Yes, the OECD has apparently unveiled a giant “wellbeing matching machine” that finds equivalence between cities in eight categories including health, safety, education, income and services.
And we are up there, on all the measures, with Western Norway, New Hampshire and South-East England (minus the fjords, fishing fleets and hedgerows, perhaps).And we are up there, on all the measures, with Western Norway, New Hampshire and South-East England (minus the fjords, fishing fleets and hedgerows, perhaps).
The rest of the country won’t want to hear this, but the Australian Capital Territory scored 10 out of 10 for income and 9.6 for jobs (federal budget cuts to the public service may yet impact heavily on that figure) and 9.5 for the environment.The rest of the country won’t want to hear this, but the Australian Capital Territory scored 10 out of 10 for income and 9.6 for jobs (federal budget cuts to the public service may yet impact heavily on that figure) and 9.5 for the environment.
Average income in Canberra was also rated as the highest of any of the 300 developed nation regions that were identified in the OECD’s analysis.Average income in Canberra was also rated as the highest of any of the 300 developed nation regions that were identified in the OECD’s analysis.
The chorus of groans can be heard from across the nation: “Yes, but the problem with such a great standard of living is that you have to live in Canberra.” The chorus of groans can be heard from across the nation: “Yes, but the problem with such a great standard of living is that you have to live in Canberra.”
Yes, indeed. Since well before the first sod was turned on the dusty and rabbit plagued Limestone Plains, before even Lady Gertrude Denman naming the putative capital Canberra in 1913 (with an emphasis on the “Can”) the continent has been down on this city.Yes, indeed. Since well before the first sod was turned on the dusty and rabbit plagued Limestone Plains, before even Lady Gertrude Denman naming the putative capital Canberra in 1913 (with an emphasis on the “Can”) the continent has been down on this city.
Critics have always talked about the cost to the rest of the country of the capital, of course. It’s why no federal government has ever won office with a promise to enlarge the bureaucracy.Critics have always talked about the cost to the rest of the country of the capital, of course. It’s why no federal government has ever won office with a promise to enlarge the bureaucracy.
But it’s more than that. It comes back to a fundamental misunderstanding of the role of a capital. Which is to host its legislature and judiciary, its memory (the National Library of Australia; the national archives, the galleries), its conscience (the Aboriginal Embassy and the National Museum of Australia with its vast collection of Indigenous remains and relics) and tell the story of disastrous events that almost derailed a fledgling federation (the Australian War Memorial).But it’s more than that. It comes back to a fundamental misunderstanding of the role of a capital. Which is to host its legislature and judiciary, its memory (the National Library of Australia; the national archives, the galleries), its conscience (the Aboriginal Embassy and the National Museum of Australia with its vast collection of Indigenous remains and relics) and tell the story of disastrous events that almost derailed a fledgling federation (the Australian War Memorial).
The story of Australia is sculpted into the very landscape of Canberra, in a way that might have ultimately pleased its Chicagoan designer Walt Griffin and his wife Marion Mahony Griffin, whose plan for the capital was assiduously ignored by the Anglophile town planners who trashed their blueprint and laid their own cheaper, less European, more prosaic city on top. (One of the many great misconceptions about Canberra is that it’s the Griffins’ city.)The story of Australia is sculpted into the very landscape of Canberra, in a way that might have ultimately pleased its Chicagoan designer Walt Griffin and his wife Marion Mahony Griffin, whose plan for the capital was assiduously ignored by the Anglophile town planners who trashed their blueprint and laid their own cheaper, less European, more prosaic city on top. (One of the many great misconceptions about Canberra is that it’s the Griffins’ city.)
Before I go further, I should admit that in 2012 I wrote a book about Canberra. It was not intended to be – nor is it – a defence of the city. I long ago gave up defending the place in the belief that maturity and self confidence comes with an ability to ignore the barbs, preconceptions and prejudices that others direct at you.Before I go further, I should admit that in 2012 I wrote a book about Canberra. It was not intended to be – nor is it – a defence of the city. I long ago gave up defending the place in the belief that maturity and self confidence comes with an ability to ignore the barbs, preconceptions and prejudices that others direct at you.
But it was an attempt to understand how and why this place happened, from the time that an Aboriginal woman, Ija Ngambri, led James Ainslie (an alcoholic stockman who confected his background as a courageous Waterloo veteran) and his sheep to the place he settled as Duntroon on behalf of Merchant Robert Campbell.But it was an attempt to understand how and why this place happened, from the time that an Aboriginal woman, Ija Ngambri, led James Ainslie (an alcoholic stockman who confected his background as a courageous Waterloo veteran) and his sheep to the place he settled as Duntroon on behalf of Merchant Robert Campbell.
Canberra – a phonetic derivative of Ngambri – grew from there. But into so much more than just the foundation for a bureaucracy. Strong communities emerged from the natural amphitheatre of the plain. We celebrate the bush here (most Australians of European extraction are coastal dwellers). It is culturally rich, with an intelligent and egalitarian populace (and yes, pockets of intense urban poverty, invisible to the rest of the country, but replete with all the social decay and crime of other cities).Canberra – a phonetic derivative of Ngambri – grew from there. But into so much more than just the foundation for a bureaucracy. Strong communities emerged from the natural amphitheatre of the plain. We celebrate the bush here (most Australians of European extraction are coastal dwellers). It is culturally rich, with an intelligent and egalitarian populace (and yes, pockets of intense urban poverty, invisible to the rest of the country, but replete with all the social decay and crime of other cities).
Still, Canberrans instinctively react with shock and modesty when their city is lauded by such as The New York Times, which proclaimed that what Canberra “lacks in big city tousle, it makes up for in big-sky beauty, breezy civic pride and a decidedly hipster underbelly”. (Incidentally Trip Advisor recently placed the war memorial among the Top 25 landmarks of the world).Still, Canberrans instinctively react with shock and modesty when their city is lauded by such as The New York Times, which proclaimed that what Canberra “lacks in big city tousle, it makes up for in big-sky beauty, breezy civic pride and a decidedly hipster underbelly”. (Incidentally Trip Advisor recently placed the war memorial among the Top 25 landmarks of the world).
Others will react to the OECD wellbeing rating with the defensive, but well-worn, Canberra cliché: “Hey, keep it down – we don’t want everyone to know how good it is or else they’ll all come here.”Others will react to the OECD wellbeing rating with the defensive, but well-worn, Canberra cliché: “Hey, keep it down – we don’t want everyone to know how good it is or else they’ll all come here.”
My refrain – welcome them. With critical mass the city will win density and hopefully greater amenity, like a decent public transport system (I still can’t believe the local conservatives are campaigning against light rail).My refrain – welcome them. With critical mass the city will win density and hopefully greater amenity, like a decent public transport system (I still can’t believe the local conservatives are campaigning against light rail).
The OECD has really reflected the findings of another report – Canberra: A capital Place – from a few years ago. It found the houses were the biggest in Australia, 75% of us live in detached dwellings, the city is 10 times less dense than Sydney or Melbourne; there’s twice as much public housing here; car use dramatically exceeds the average and 9.2 hectares supports the energy footprint of each resident.The OECD has really reflected the findings of another report – Canberra: A capital Place – from a few years ago. It found the houses were the biggest in Australia, 75% of us live in detached dwellings, the city is 10 times less dense than Sydney or Melbourne; there’s twice as much public housing here; car use dramatically exceeds the average and 9.2 hectares supports the energy footprint of each resident.
I quoted in my book Jack Waterford, legendary Canberra Times journalist, riffing off those figures.I quoted in my book Jack Waterford, legendary Canberra Times journalist, riffing off those figures.
What he said then seems like a pretty good last word today: “... you won’t find a whole settled essentially stable community that is so smug, so bourgeois, so comfortable, so well-educated. I mean this may be fucking paradise. I’m not saying it is. But it’s as good as it gets.”What he said then seems like a pretty good last word today: “... you won’t find a whole settled essentially stable community that is so smug, so bourgeois, so comfortable, so well-educated. I mean this may be fucking paradise. I’m not saying it is. But it’s as good as it gets.”