Ever wondered if the stuff filling up your local Facebook groups and neighbourhood chats is just a loud minority, or if everyone is feeling the same way?
We recently surveyed almost 4,500 people across Australia to find out exactly what is bothering them about their local areas. 10 News picked up the results, and reporter Rebeka Powell took a deep dive into the data to map out what is driving us crazy at a local level, and whether we’re actually any happier than we were this time last year.
It turns out, your main suburban gripe depends entirely on where you live.
The 10 News segment showcased how local frustrations shift dramatically once you cross state lines:
- Security and neighbourhood safety officially topped the list as the number one concern nationwide.
- Queenslanders are the most worried about home safety, with residents in Brisbane, Logan, and Ipswich ranking security as their biggest issue.
- Sydney and Melbourne are singing a different tune, where traffic jams and illegal parking are causing the absolute biggest headaches.
- South Australians are most frustrated by graffiti and vandalism, while West Australians are keeping their focus on local environmental concerns.
Our CEO, Danny Gorog, noted on air that while it’s great that overall neighbourhood happiness is up compared to last year, the data shows there’s still a gap when it comes to getting things sorted.
"While we see some positive information in the data... There are also concerns about these things, which are not being resolved quickly enough."
One of the biggest takeaways from the 10 News feature was that these frustrations aren't just a big-city problem. Regional Australians are incredibly engaged and are actively using their phones to advocate for their streets.
In fact, residents in regional hubs like Ballarat, Bendigo, and Geelong were highlighted as some of the most active when it came to calling out the condition of their local neighbourhoods.
Danny explained that these reports give authorities the exact, real-time data they need to act:
"If people report, for example, illegal parking around school areas, the councils can then send out inspectors at the right time to make sure that that doesn't occur."
It’s easy to feel like putting a community report in goes into a black hole. But the segment wrapped up with a massive win for the community-minded Snappers, taking the time to flag these issues.
When you actually get involved and log a Snap, our data shows that the responsible authorities are listening.
"We hear from our snappers, who are the ones who are doing the reports, that around nine out of ten issues get resolved," Danny shared.
