1 year
Community consultation and initiative development
We will convene multiple community meetings to canvas ideas and obtain feedback from the community.
“Bluezones” are places on earth where people naturally live longer because they are healthier and happier.
How do we make Strathfield one of those places?
From speaking with residents, I understand that cost of living and employment, health and hospitals, housing and the environment are their top concerns. It struck me these are all part of a holistic concept of wellbeing.
This has inspired me to develop an aspirational, long-term Community Wellbeing Initiative, which will be used to guide how our community, government and business can work together through to 2030.
Through broad-based collaboration, we can develop ambitious, long-lasting strategies and solutions to meet the increasingly complex challenges of our society today.
Our electorate is a microcosm of the modern world, with diversity of culture, faith and socio-economic backgrounds. We reflect the entirety of Australia in our community, our people, our aspirations, our strengths and our challenges. As such, the strategies and plans we develop for Strathfield can serve as a blueprint for our state more broadly.
We welcome your input and involvement into the project and its implementation. Together, we can create a healthier, happier Strathfield.
Jason Yat-sen Li MP
Member for Strathfield
OUR ASPIRATIONS
Optimising the health and wellbeing of our community is our biggest priority. Our vision is to significantly improve the wellbeing of the Strathfield electorate over a 10-year time frame in a way that harnesses the engagement of the community and can serve as a blueprint for others.
We should be inclusive problem solvers
Physical, mental, social environmental and economic wellbeing are interconnected. We can be a model for building long-lasting and impactful community resilience and strength.
The pandemic highlighted significant strains on individuals, families, businesses and in our healthcare system, focusing attention on access and resourcing. But addressing these issues in isolation is not the solution: physical, mental, social, environmental and economic wellbeing are intrinsically interconnected.
Government, business and community organisations need to collaborate to develop sustainable, system-wide solutions.
Census data shows that on many indicators, the electorate of Strathfield performs well relative to state averages. But disparities remain: median life expectancy in a particular suburb is 75 years versus a state average of 82, and access to support and services is not equal or universal.
We know there is significant untapped wisdom in our First Nations knowledge and culture. We are also taking inspiration from the ‘blue zone’ communities around the world where people live the longest and are the happiest, such as Okinawa, Japan; Sardinia, Italy; Nicoya, Costa Rica; Ikaria, Greece and Loma Linda, California. Researchers believe this is due to a combination of lifestyle and environment, nutrition and diet, physical environment and exercise, and a sense of belonging and purpose. Imagine if Strathfield could be one of those places!
We are not alone in seeking solutions. In developing the Community Wellbeing Initiative, we will identify and align projects that are already in place and connect the efforts of various organisations and individuals to further amplify their impact. Through partnering with public, private and community sector leaders, together we can develop long-lasting and meaningful holistic solutions that improve the wellbeing of our community.
COMMUNITY FEEDBACK
Our vision reflects residents’ principal concerns particularly after the pandemic…
- Behind cost of living, healthcare and ageing ranks 2nd amongst issues voters believe the government should focus on (61% of respondents)
- Environment and climate ranks 4th (42% of respondents)
- Hospitals & Health (78.8%) and Environment & Climate Change (75.3%) and Planning & Development (69.4%) were regarded as very important or important by residents of the Strathfield
electorate.
The interconnectedness of wellbeing
“Physical, mental, social, financial and environmental wellbeing are intrinsically interconnected and mutually dependent. You can’t effectively address one without the other.” Stephen Simpson AC – Charles Perkins Institute
MENTAL WELLBEING
We want to lower the rates of mental illness such as anxiety and depression, particularly among vulnerable groups including young people, women and migrants. We want to improve residents’ access to mental health services. We want to improve access to community green space, physical activity, healthy diets and opportunities for friendship and connections. We want to reduce loneliness and isolation. We want our residents to have purpose and belonging in their lives.
ECONOMIC WELLBEING
We want a strong, vibrant local economy that supports dynamic small businesses and well-paid, secure work. We want to lower housing stress and homelessness, and improve housing supply, particularly social and affordable housing. We want to lower cost of living pressures. We want to boost employment, productivity and innovation in our local economy by improving educational outcomes.
ENVIRONMENTAL WELLBEING
We want to proactively address climate change and improve the sustainability of the local environment by investing in our parks, gardens and waterways where residents can exercise. We want a planning system that enhances the sustainability and livability of our suburbs. We want to capture the opportunities and benefits of a low-carbon economy and greater uptake of renewable energy, recycling and waste reduction programs.
SOCIAL WELLBEING
We want an engaged, resilient and safe community. We want to boost rates of volunteering and strengthen our community associations and charities. We want strong, capable, well-resourced community organisations that partner with government and business to deliver real solutions for residents. And we want residents to have a sense of purpose and belonging in their community, close family, deep friendships and relationships with their neighbours whom they help and respect.
PHYSICAL WELLBEING
We want our community to eat more healthy, nutritious food and exercise more, preferably outdoors. We want to lower rates of chronic disease, obesity and road injury. We want better healthcare, and a well-paid, resourced and trained healthcare workforce. And we want a safer community with lower rates of violence and crime, including domestic violence.
Key themes
We will develop the initiative by organising community consultations and stakeholder workshops with experts in each of the five pillars of wellbeing. Together, we will explore key issues and themes such as:
MENTAL WELLBEING
(Healthy mind)
Key Themes
- Improving access to mental health services and support by audit of available resources
- Improving community and social connections
- Improving public green space for exercise and recreation
- Partnering with councils and local associations to run school awareness campaign
- Improving support for vulnerable young people, children, CALD communities and First Nations people
- Improving community empowerment and resilience e.g.: to climate change and climate-related disasters
Potential Impact
- Lowering rates of depression and anxiety
- Lowering suicide and self-harm rates
- Improving availability of mental health services in community languages
Potential Pilot/Case-study
- Psychological counselling services in main community languages e.g.: Chinese, Korean and Tamil
- Schools’ partnership targeting mental health issues among young people
ECONOMIC WELLBEING
(Healthy economic environment)
Key Themes
- Improving access to employment for chronically underemployed, unemployed and at-risk individuals
- Improving access to affordable housing and addressing homelessness
- Encouraging alignment between education and employment opportunities
- Reducing cost of living pressures for families and individuals
- Improving the regulatory environment for small business and supporting small business creation and growth
- Improve community and business access to renewable energy
Potential Impact
- Creating more well-paid jobs in the electorate + reducing insecure work
- Building more affordable and social housing
- Reducing unemployment, particularly amongst young people and vulnerable individuals
- Creating new businesses and reducing the business failure rate
- Reducing housing stress (>30% of income goes to housing)
Potential Pilot/Case-study
- Create Burwood/Strathfield start-up hub and commercial incentives
- Partner with banks/schools on financial literacy for youth, migrants and women
ENVIRONMENTAL WELLBEING
(Healthy environment)
Key Themes
- Addressing climate change
- Supporting greater investment in and adoption of renewable energy including battery solutions, as well as recycling, waste minimisation and circular economy solutions
- Supporting industry and business to seize the opportunities from the transition to a low carbon economy
- Improving green space in the community including parks, fields, walking and cycling tracks and waterways
- Making planning laws and practices more sustainable and able to deliver buildings and communities that are more sustainable, energy efficient and livable
Potential Impact
- Increasing adoption of renewable energy by households and businesses
- Ensuring residents are within 15 mins walk or cycle of green space
- Improving key sustainability metrics in the community including waste and recycling, energy use and cost, renewables uptake, water use, energy efficient housing etc
Potential Pilot/Case-study
- Community battery installed in our local area
- Return of key areas of public land to the community as accessible green space
SOCIAL WELLBEING
(Healthy community)
Key Themes
- Better planning outcomes and community amenity/ livability, e.g.: access to public transport, retail, green space, employment and recreation and culture
- Understanding community concerns and aspirations for their local area and preserving the character of distinctive places
- Supporting reconciliation and concrete outcomes for First Nations people
- Improving community connections, resilience and social capital
- Supporting local community organisations to provide vital services
- Giving residents a sense of purpose and belonging
- Improving road and pedestrian safety
- Addressing domestic and family violence
Potential Impact
- Increasing volunteerism
- Reducing violent crime and anti-social behaviour
- Reducing road and pedestrian fatalities and serious injury
- Growing the scale of local community organisations/charities
Potential Pilot/Case-study
- End-of-year street parties in local streets hosted by residents to build familiarity and connectedness between neighbours and community members
- Strathfield Community Garden for old and young people
PHYSICAL WELLBEING
(Healthy body)
Key Themes
- Better healthcare access and quality
- More green public space for exercise
- Addressing the causes and impacts of climate change
- Improving nutrition and diet and encouraging healthy choices
- Better access to physical activity through partnerships with local community and business
- Addressing drug and alcohol issues in the community
Potential Impact
- Lowering rates of chronic disease (cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity)
- Ensuring residents are within 15 mins walk or cycle of green space
- Lowering rates of particular cancers
- Improving life expectancy
Potential Pilot/Case-study
- 3-year program to reduce chronic illness through physical activity and nutrition
- Breakfast clubs for local schools
Why Strathfield
Our community is a good place to pilot innovative policy interventions that can be scaled if successful
Strathfield is distinctive
The Strathfield electorate has approximately 95,000 residents across a number of suburbs including Ashbury, Ashfield, Belfield, Burwood, Burwood Heights, Campsie, Croydon, Croydon Park, Enfield, Homebush, Homebush West, Strathfield and Strathfield South. We have a significant amount of:
- Cultural and religious diversity (61.6% born overseas v. 34.6% NSW average)
- Socio-economic diversity by district but with overall household income close to state average.
- Age diversity (outsized population of 20-34yo v NSW average: 23.1% v. 13%)
We sit between the Inner West and the Western suburbs. Projects that our community successfully implements here can be scaled in other parts of our state.
Community engagement and timeline
Our Community Wellbeing Initiative will be developed and owned in partnership with the community!
We will partner with councils, businesses, health professionals, research bodies, social sector leaders, community associations and interested residents. We will identify projects and initiatives that are already in place and seek to scale and amplify these through greater collaboration. And we will identify, develop and drive new innovative projects that enhance wellbeing.
Supporting Data
Generally, the Strathfield electorate compares well with NSW averages for health and wellbeing statistics, with levels of premature mortality and disease incidence tracking below state averages while household income sits higher overall.
Median life expectancy:
Burwood/Croydon is 84; Strathfield/Strathfield South is 85; Canterbury (North) is 82; Homebush is 75. State median is 82.
Why does Homebush have a median life expectancy 10 years below Strathfield and 7 years below the State? Homebush life expectancy dropped 7 years from 2010-2014 to 2016-2020.
Women have a much higher life expectancy (80-88 years) compared to men (71-82 years).
Obesity:
In 2017/18, there were an estimated 17,791 obese adults, up from 14,005 in 2014/2015. But prevalence of obesity in Strathfield electorate lower than NSW.
Poverty:
Poverty rate (50% below Australian median income) in Burwood-Croydon is 16.9%, Homebush 15.6%, Strathfield 13.1%, Strathfield South 15.9%, Croydon Park-Enfield 12.5%. NSW is 13.3%.
Housing tenure:
Share of households who were renting: 46.3% (13.7% higher than the NSW average of 32.6%)
Share of household ownership Outright: 24.1% vs NSW average 31.5%.
Homelessness:
In the 2016 Census, Strathfield had the fifth highest homelessness rate in the State (132.7 per 10,000). The NSW rate was 50.4 per 10,000.
Mortgage repayments:
In 2016, Strathfield had a much larger proportion of households with mortgage repayments equal to or above 30% of household income (24.5% vs NSW average 17.3%).
Unemployment rates:
In December 2021, the electorate had an estimated unemployment rate of 4.7%, lower than the comparative NSW unemployment rate of 5.0%.
The youth unemployment rate was 6.4% in March 2022, lower than the NSW average (9.9%) and Greater Sydney Region (10.2%).
Green space:
Strathfield electorate has approximately 13.2m2 of green space per capita. Comparatively, Sydney has 12.1m2 and Granville has 15.1m2.
Road accident incidences:
Road accident incidences declined 47% between 2016 and 2020, dropping from 392 crashes to 209 crashes, however the share of ‘seriously injured’ casualties increased from 11% in 2016 to 28% in 2020.
Tertiary education rates:
The Strathfield electorate had a higher level of educational attainment than the NSW average, with 45.4% of persons aged 15 and over having a tertiary education qualification (compared with 32.3% in NSW).
Source: Census 2016
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