Fed: MP surprised electorate is one of the saddest in Aust

AAP General News (Australia)
02-13-2006
Fed: MP surprised electorate is one of the saddest in Aust

CANBERRA, Feb 13 AAP - Federal MP Anthony Albanese says he is surprised a study has
found his electorate of Grayndler in Sydney is one of the saddest in the country.

The Deakin University study has found many of the saddest electorates are in the centre
of the nation's wealthiest cities - while some of the happiest are in poor, rural and
regional centres.

The study examined people's wellbeing by considering standard of living, health, achievement
in life, personal relationships, sense of safety, connection to the community and future
security.

The low-income rural electorate of Wide Bay in Queensland topped the "happy" list,
while Grayndler in Sydney's inner west came in near the top of the "sad" list.

"I'm unhappy about that finding," Mr Albanese joked.

"I must say it's somewhat surprising on one level because I find it certainly a great
place to live.

"But there's no doubt that families in my electorate are under extreme pressure due
to high mortgages, due to the lack of child-care places, they tend to have both parents
working and tend to have difficulties with any spare time.

"I think also my electorate is one which is a very politicised electorate.

"After 10 years of the Howard government, people who feel very strongly about social
issues and value-based politics issues such as reconciliation, asylum seekers, the fact
that this is a government which has presided over AWB giving $300 million to Saddam Hussein
at a time when we were preparing to go to war - I think that provides an area of frustration
for them as well."

AAP jcol/sb/rj/de

KEYWORD: WELLBEING ALBANESE

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