Sydney again rated among the world’s best cities
Sydney has leapt to fifth place in a new survey rating the world’s most liveable cities.
In its latest edition, leading international global affairs magazine Monocle has elevated Sydney six places place from last year and put it in the top five of the world’s best cities in its annual quality of life survey.
Sydney has moved ahead of cities including Stockholm (ranked sixth) Vancouver (seventh) Helsinki (eighth) Munich (ninth) and Zurich (10th) in the table that compares a number of metrics ranging from the cost of a cup of coffee to the price of a three-bedroom house.
Other factors it considers in assessing quality of life range from recycling rates, unemployment levels and the percentage of people commuting by bike.
The magazine rates Tokyo as the world’s most liveable city ahead of Vienna and Berlin.
Sydney rated highly because of factors including its low unemployment rate (4.3%), its high rate of recycling (68%), and public swimming pools available for workers to have an outdoor lunchtime swim.
Lord Mayor Clover Moore said the Monocle survey was further evidence the City’s policies were enhancing Sydney’s global city status, stating “our Sydney 2030 plan to create a green, global and connected city guides our work and results like this show that our approach is delivering a more liveable city.
“Sydney is thriving. It is the engine room of the NSW economy, which is the best performing economy of any state in Australia.
“The quality of life we are creating in Sydney by investing in parks, playgrounds and opens spaces; supporting creativity and cultural; encouraging innovation; and delivering public and private developments with excellent design, is amongst the world’s best.
“This is not only good for Sydney residents, but good for business as we know that a city with a high quality of life attracts investment and a talented workforce.
“In our last major survey of businesses, we learned that 40% of all new jobs created in greater Sydney over a five year period were created in our City of Sydney area.
Monocle’s recognition of Sydney’s appeal follows findings by global consulting firm AT Kearney last year. The firm’s 2014 Global Cities Index and Emerging Cities Outlook found Sydney is the world’s most popular city to study in.
AT Kearney also found Sydney attracts more international students than anywhere else and that it was ahead of 83 other cities, including London and New York.
And earlier this year, The Economist’s Intelligence Unit ranked Sydney number six overall in its list of 50 cities in its Safe Cities Index for 2015.
Every day the City delivers high-quality services, facilities and events to more than 195,000 residents, 20,000 businesses and more than one million workers and visitors.
The City of Sydney local government area is an economic powerhouse, with $100 billion worth of economic activity.
Lord Mayor Moore added “we contribute 8% of Australia’s GDP and 22% of the NSW economy.
“We are also one of the fastest-growing residential areas in NSW, with over 25,000 new homes completed or approved in the past five years. Over the same period, 40% of all jobs in metropolitan Sydney have occurred in our area. That’s 50,000 new jobs.
“Through good financial management, delivery of debt-free budgets and long-term planning, we have a capital works program worth nearly $2 billion over the next decade.
“We are also providing much needed financial support for major projects being delivered by other levels of governments. For example, the City is investing $220 million in support of the NSW Government’s light rail and CBD transformation project.”
Light rail will give Sydney a world-class main street and support new flagship retail outlets, premium-grade office buildings, cafés and outdoor dining.
The City has allocated $440 million on world class community facilities and infrastructure for Green Square where an estimated 10,000 apartments will be built in the next four years.
Lord Mayor Moore concluded “the area will become home to 54,000 residents and 22,000 workers, and our great new parks, a pool, library and town centre will create a welcoming, exciting and connected precinct especially suited to families and young people.”
Top image shows Sydney's ANZAC Bridge.
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