Australia’s fastest-growing city, Melbourne, has again been recognised as the best city in the world to live, topping The Economist Intelligence Unit’s (EIU) Global Livability Index for the fourth year in a row.
With Melbourne set to become Australia’s largest city as early as 2030, the Victorian Government is investing in key infrastructure, from road and rail projects to hospitals and schools, to ensure the state remains the best possible place to live, work and do business.
“Our low crime rates, great health system, harmonious multicultural community, excellent education system and road and rail network all played a part in our great city taking out this coveted award again,” the Premier of Victoria, Dr Denis Napthine, said.
The Victorian state capital offers an unparalleled lifestyle, underpinned by resilient economic credentials, world class infrastructure, excellent health and education systems and progressive business regulation.
“Melbourne is Asia-Pacific’s leading destination for cutting-edge innovation, research, development, and high-tech manufacturing, backed by the region’s best talent ecosystem, a pioneering spirit of invention, and unparalleled government support for pro-business regulation and policies,” John Butler, Victorian Commissioner to the Middle East, Africa and Turkey, said.
“Melbourne has everything a business from the Middle East region needs to succeed in the Asia-Pacific marketplace, and that is why we are seeing more and more companies setting up shop in Melbourne as they expand globally,” Butler, added.
The EIU’s Livability Ranking assesses living conditions in 140 cities across the globe by assigning a rating across five broad categories, including: Stability; Healthcare; Culture and Environment; Education; and Infrastructure. Melbourne scores highly in all of the EIU’s criteria and achieves perfect scores in the areas of healthcare, education and infrastructure.
Melbourne’s high ranking follows three consecutive years at the top of the index, which it achieved by taking the title from Vancouver, Canada, after a run of almost a decade.
Butler said Melbourne’s much vaunted livability was largely due to consistent investment in infrastructure.
“Over the past decade, Government investment in infrastructure has doubled, with investment in roads, public transport, health, schools and other infrastructure over 2014-2015 estimated at A$7.5 billion.”
Derek Dyson, Global Retail Director at Specsavers, which runs a manufacturing centre in Port Melbourne, said Melbourne offered the double attraction of being an excellent location for doing business, as well as being a great place to live.
“As a business we have grown rapidly from our support office and manufacturing centre in Port Melbourne and we easily service the whole of Australia and New Zealand from here, backed up by smaller teams in each state,” Dyson, said.
“Infrastructure is in place and is seemingly continually invested in which is good for business. Varying levels of government have one eye on the future which means planning for and coping with significant population growth is always taken into account.”
Dave Scheine, APAC Director at Yelp, which was established in Melbourne in January to help drive the company’s efforts in Australia and Asia, said Melbourne has lived up to its billing as one of the most liveable cities in the world.
“The foodie scene is phenomenal and it’s hard to keep track of all the new hip places opening up. It reminds me of a mash-up between the UK and California, where you get the walkability/transit oriented accessibility of a European capital city with the lifestyle, fresh produce and weather of the San Francisco Bay Area,” Scheine, added.