1 00:00:00,480 --> 00:00:03,360 Speaker 1: We know that initial findings from a Charles Dowen University 2 00:00:03,520 --> 00:00:07,680 Speaker 1: social survey have revealed that four and five territory participants 3 00:00:07,800 --> 00:00:13,160 Speaker 1: identify as Territorians. Despite the highly transient nature of our population. 4 00:00:13,760 --> 00:00:16,880 Speaker 1: More than three thousand people across the territory participated in 5 00:00:16,920 --> 00:00:22,560 Speaker 1: the My Territory Connection Survey well it connected data collected 6 00:00:22,640 --> 00:00:25,200 Speaker 1: data i should say, between November twenty twenty one and 7 00:00:25,360 --> 00:00:28,960 Speaker 1: June twenty twenty two. And joining me on the line 8 00:00:29,000 --> 00:00:31,000 Speaker 1: to tell us a little bit more about this survey 9 00:00:31,080 --> 00:00:36,800 Speaker 1: is Charles Dowen University's Northern Institute Demographer Research Associate Fiona Shelley. 10 00:00:36,840 --> 00:00:38,080 Speaker 1: Good morning to you, Fiona. 11 00:00:39,360 --> 00:00:41,320 Speaker 2: Thanks Katie. That's a huge introduction. 12 00:00:43,600 --> 00:00:46,479 Speaker 1: It is and I tell you what this sounds like 13 00:00:46,560 --> 00:00:49,560 Speaker 1: some interesting research. Tell us a little bit more about 14 00:00:49,600 --> 00:00:51,239 Speaker 1: what the aim of the research was. 15 00:00:52,720 --> 00:00:56,040 Speaker 2: Yeah, so we're really interested in the well being of 16 00:00:56,120 --> 00:01:00,600 Speaker 2: Territorians in general, and we've actually got really good data 17 00:01:00,680 --> 00:01:03,319 Speaker 2: in sort of the domains of health and education and 18 00:01:03,800 --> 00:01:07,760 Speaker 2: how people are participating in the economy and safety and 19 00:01:07,800 --> 00:01:11,199 Speaker 2: even the environment, but we don't really have good data 20 00:01:11,280 --> 00:01:15,160 Speaker 2: on how we feel connected to other Territorians, whether our 21 00:01:15,200 --> 00:01:19,160 Speaker 2: communities are thriving. So where they're supporting each other and 22 00:01:19,200 --> 00:01:22,560 Speaker 2: what this means in terms of that population that we know, 23 00:01:22,720 --> 00:01:26,560 Speaker 2: a population that is quite highly changient and a population 24 00:01:26,680 --> 00:01:29,800 Speaker 2: that churns every year. So tell us what. 25 00:01:29,840 --> 00:01:31,479 Speaker 1: Some of the key findings were. 26 00:01:32,840 --> 00:01:34,959 Speaker 2: Yeah, well, I think, as you said, one of the 27 00:01:35,040 --> 00:01:38,240 Speaker 2: big one is when we ask people whether they consider 28 00:01:38,280 --> 00:01:41,520 Speaker 2: themselves to be a Territorian. And I think this is 29 00:01:41,560 --> 00:01:45,000 Speaker 2: really enlightening because it comes to that idea of you know, 30 00:01:45,200 --> 00:01:48,560 Speaker 2: have they attached themselves here and is that something that 31 00:01:48,600 --> 00:01:50,800 Speaker 2: we can really think about when we want that population 32 00:01:50,960 --> 00:01:53,120 Speaker 2: to stabilize, so we want those people to stay a 33 00:01:53,200 --> 00:01:57,120 Speaker 2: bit longer here. And what we found is that fifty 34 00:01:57,120 --> 00:02:00,440 Speaker 2: seven percent of the people who participated said definitely yes, 35 00:02:01,400 --> 00:02:05,840 Speaker 2: and another twenty four percent said yeah, probably yes. So 36 00:02:06,800 --> 00:02:08,919 Speaker 2: when we asked them why they thought like that, we 37 00:02:09,320 --> 00:02:13,560 Speaker 2: got some interesting themes. So the first one were those 38 00:02:13,600 --> 00:02:16,120 Speaker 2: of course who were born and bred, all those people 39 00:02:16,160 --> 00:02:19,160 Speaker 2: who had lived most of their lives here, and they 40 00:02:19,200 --> 00:02:22,640 Speaker 2: say being a Territorian was really formative to their identity 41 00:02:23,040 --> 00:02:25,720 Speaker 2: and to the perspectives they have, you know, it shaped 42 00:02:25,720 --> 00:02:29,440 Speaker 2: their values and for some people, you know, they talked 43 00:02:29,480 --> 00:02:32,000 Speaker 2: about this sort of generational grounding. So they could track 44 00:02:32,040 --> 00:02:35,040 Speaker 2: their family back more than one generation. So we've got 45 00:02:35,080 --> 00:02:38,400 Speaker 2: that population who are Territorian and we probably can't dispute that. 46 00:02:39,400 --> 00:02:42,000 Speaker 2: But then we've got this other other sort of population 47 00:02:42,080 --> 00:02:45,880 Speaker 2: of people who say, yeah, I come here and I've 48 00:02:45,880 --> 00:02:48,839 Speaker 2: settled and gosh, you know, this is the place where 49 00:02:48,840 --> 00:02:50,840 Speaker 2: I feel like belong, This is the place where I 50 00:02:50,880 --> 00:02:54,320 Speaker 2: feel like I can be myself. So I think there's 51 00:02:54,360 --> 00:02:57,720 Speaker 2: some really interesting results. So the territory is a community, 52 00:02:57,800 --> 00:03:01,520 Speaker 2: different place. People are common that they're going to be supported, 53 00:03:02,360 --> 00:03:04,960 Speaker 2: and it's their friends that they choose who have now 54 00:03:04,960 --> 00:03:05,800 Speaker 2: become their family. 55 00:03:06,160 --> 00:03:08,919 Speaker 1: It's so interesting, isn't it. And it's so interesting because 56 00:03:08,960 --> 00:03:11,519 Speaker 1: we all too often have that discussion how long do 57 00:03:11,560 --> 00:03:13,560 Speaker 1: you have to have lived in the territory before you're 58 00:03:13,600 --> 00:03:14,440 Speaker 1: a Territorian? 59 00:03:16,160 --> 00:03:18,200 Speaker 2: And that's right, And so some people are saying they didn't. 60 00:03:18,200 --> 00:03:20,520 Speaker 2: They haven't lived here all that long, and they're now 61 00:03:20,600 --> 00:03:23,520 Speaker 2: starting to think of themselves. Yes, I am. They may 62 00:03:23,919 --> 00:03:27,000 Speaker 2: have attachments to other places, and we certainly found that 63 00:03:27,040 --> 00:03:31,040 Speaker 2: out in our results as well. So lots of people said, yep, 64 00:03:31,160 --> 00:03:33,880 Speaker 2: I feel attached to other parts of Australia or other 65 00:03:34,960 --> 00:03:38,760 Speaker 2: other countries overseas. Yes, but they have this territory identity 66 00:03:39,120 --> 00:03:41,920 Speaker 2: and it will go with them regardless of whether they 67 00:03:42,360 --> 00:03:45,040 Speaker 2: stay or leave. I think and fionnor what. 68 00:03:45,000 --> 00:03:47,160 Speaker 1: Is this research going to be used for? 69 00:03:48,960 --> 00:03:51,840 Speaker 2: Well, this fills some of those information gaps, so I 70 00:03:51,880 --> 00:03:55,080 Speaker 2: know how the territory government is really interested in building 71 00:03:55,080 --> 00:03:59,240 Speaker 2: an evidence space about social outcomes. So these are the 72 00:03:59,280 --> 00:04:03,640 Speaker 2: gaps that tell people more about that identity stuff, that 73 00:04:03,760 --> 00:04:08,160 Speaker 2: attachment stuff, their participation in communities and how people are 74 00:04:08,160 --> 00:04:11,320 Speaker 2: feeling overall. So that was certainly a question that we 75 00:04:11,360 --> 00:04:15,800 Speaker 2: asked in the survey. So how people going and when 76 00:04:15,840 --> 00:04:20,039 Speaker 2: we think about when that survey was open, COVID had 77 00:04:20,080 --> 00:04:23,120 Speaker 2: read its head again in the territory, so we had 78 00:04:23,600 --> 00:04:28,280 Speaker 2: our first cases in community. We had some serious lockdowns, 79 00:04:28,320 --> 00:04:33,040 Speaker 2: particularly in Catherine, so it really disrupted our lives. And 80 00:04:33,080 --> 00:04:35,480 Speaker 2: then we've got the challenges that are going on in 81 00:04:35,560 --> 00:04:39,279 Speaker 2: other parts of Australia to do with natural disasters, and 82 00:04:39,320 --> 00:04:42,320 Speaker 2: we've got our challenges with our economy. So I think 83 00:04:42,360 --> 00:04:45,159 Speaker 2: it was a really well placed and well timed survey 84 00:04:45,240 --> 00:04:49,359 Speaker 2: to sort of ask that question. And the results say, yeah, 85 00:04:49,560 --> 00:04:52,960 Speaker 2: seven out of ten people think they're going okay, So 86 00:04:53,040 --> 00:04:55,839 Speaker 2: we've got an average of seven point one I can 87 00:04:55,839 --> 00:05:00,120 Speaker 2: compare that with a survey that the ABS does and 88 00:05:00,160 --> 00:05:04,600 Speaker 2: they asked a question about overall life satisfaction and that 89 00:05:04,960 --> 00:05:07,400 Speaker 2: ended up being about seven point two, So we're not 90 00:05:07,760 --> 00:05:12,440 Speaker 2: that far off. But that ABS survey has tracked the 91 00:05:12,480 --> 00:05:16,039 Speaker 2: population over time and we can see that declining. So 92 00:05:16,600 --> 00:05:20,159 Speaker 2: it was about seven point six in twenty fourteen and 93 00:05:20,200 --> 00:05:22,560 Speaker 2: now it's dropped down to seven point two. So I 94 00:05:22,600 --> 00:05:24,960 Speaker 2: think this is the one to keep an eye on. 95 00:05:25,200 --> 00:05:27,839 Speaker 2: You know, what's going to happen if we check in again, 96 00:05:28,120 --> 00:05:30,960 Speaker 2: is are those feelings going to decline? 97 00:05:31,839 --> 00:05:32,039 Speaker 1: Yep? 98 00:05:32,520 --> 00:05:35,080 Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, or how are they going to be going? Yeah? 99 00:05:35,080 --> 00:05:37,680 Speaker 1: It is really interesting, Fiona. Was there any other sort 100 00:05:37,680 --> 00:05:40,839 Speaker 1: of like interesting stuff that you found throughout that research 101 00:05:40,880 --> 00:05:43,279 Speaker 1: that you reckon our listeners might find interesting as well. 102 00:05:44,200 --> 00:05:48,240 Speaker 2: Yeah. I think that even though we think that we're 103 00:05:48,320 --> 00:05:52,559 Speaker 2: going okay, there is a portion of our population who aren't. 104 00:05:53,839 --> 00:05:56,760 Speaker 2: And you know that's really sobering when we have about 105 00:05:56,800 --> 00:05:59,960 Speaker 2: eight percent of our participants saying that they felt lonely 106 00:06:00,640 --> 00:06:04,240 Speaker 2: most to all of the time, So they're not the 107 00:06:04,279 --> 00:06:07,240 Speaker 2: ones that are feeling supported. And I think that we've 108 00:06:07,240 --> 00:06:10,400 Speaker 2: really got to think about, well, what's happening in that space? 109 00:06:10,440 --> 00:06:13,720 Speaker 2: Why are they feeling isolated? Why aren't they getting the 110 00:06:14,279 --> 00:06:18,440 Speaker 2: support they need? Aren't they connected in with other people? So, 111 00:06:18,920 --> 00:06:20,560 Speaker 2: you know, some of the other data that we picked 112 00:06:20,640 --> 00:06:25,240 Speaker 2: up on are those networks of support. And you know, 113 00:06:25,279 --> 00:06:27,599 Speaker 2: so we asked questions, do you get you know, that 114 00:06:27,760 --> 00:06:32,479 Speaker 2: practical emotional and financial support from your family who lives 115 00:06:32,480 --> 00:06:35,800 Speaker 2: in the territory, your friends who live here, or your 116 00:06:35,800 --> 00:06:39,839 Speaker 2: neighbors who live here. And our results certainly showed that 117 00:06:40,160 --> 00:06:43,000 Speaker 2: the friendship networks that people have here are really important 118 00:06:43,800 --> 00:06:47,240 Speaker 2: because lots of them don't have their family here. That 119 00:06:47,400 --> 00:06:51,400 Speaker 2: friendship network sort of builds that space that family might 120 00:06:51,480 --> 00:06:54,640 Speaker 2: be in other jurisdictions of states and territory. 121 00:06:54,720 --> 00:06:56,960 Speaker 1: And it is it is so important, isn't it here 122 00:06:56,960 --> 00:06:58,960 Speaker 1: in the territory because we very like a lot of 123 00:06:59,000 --> 00:07:01,279 Speaker 1: us live away from our family is living here in 124 00:07:01,320 --> 00:07:04,920 Speaker 1: the territory, and so your friends become your family, that's right. 125 00:07:05,320 --> 00:07:08,520 Speaker 2: And so it's like, okay, for those people who have 126 00:07:08,720 --> 00:07:12,640 Speaker 2: just arrived, you know, how do we welcome them, how 127 00:07:12,680 --> 00:07:14,480 Speaker 2: do we make them feel at home? How do we 128 00:07:14,880 --> 00:07:17,440 Speaker 2: sort of introduce them to those networks that are going 129 00:07:17,480 --> 00:07:20,040 Speaker 2: to be really important part of their support structure. 130 00:07:21,000 --> 00:07:23,760 Speaker 1: Well, Fiona Shelley, You've given us plenty to listen to 131 00:07:23,880 --> 00:07:26,400 Speaker 1: and talk about this morning. I reckon it's really interesting, 132 00:07:27,000 --> 00:07:29,640 Speaker 1: you know, to hear some of those numbers of the 133 00:07:29,680 --> 00:07:32,200 Speaker 1: more than three hundred people across the territory that did 134 00:07:32,240 --> 00:07:37,240 Speaker 1: participate in my territory connections three thousand. Yet it's a 135 00:07:37,240 --> 00:07:39,080 Speaker 1: lot business. 136 00:07:39,240 --> 00:07:42,160 Speaker 2: Yeah, it is. Yeah, and I've got to stay thank 137 00:07:42,200 --> 00:07:44,920 Speaker 2: you to everyone he did. Because it wasn't mix survey. 138 00:07:45,280 --> 00:07:48,040 Speaker 2: It didn't take the sort of five minutes that you 139 00:07:48,120 --> 00:07:52,000 Speaker 2: might do an online survey for. It probably took more 140 00:07:52,040 --> 00:07:54,280 Speaker 2: like twenty minutes. So people put a lot of thought 141 00:07:54,320 --> 00:07:57,840 Speaker 2: into it. But it's been really revealing and I think 142 00:07:57,880 --> 00:08:00,240 Speaker 2: it's going to give us this really rich darta that 143 00:08:00,280 --> 00:08:03,800 Speaker 2: we can do some more research on and we're going 144 00:08:03,840 --> 00:08:06,160 Speaker 2: to share the results with government. We're going to talk 145 00:08:06,200 --> 00:08:09,680 Speaker 2: about building what we call a social capital Index, which 146 00:08:09,760 --> 00:08:12,880 Speaker 2: is sort of like this broad idea about how we 147 00:08:12,920 --> 00:08:15,400 Speaker 2: are going. It's a number that we can monitor over 148 00:08:15,440 --> 00:08:18,840 Speaker 2: time and say, Okay, how is our community going. Do 149 00:08:19,320 --> 00:08:22,800 Speaker 2: people have access to those things that help them thrive 150 00:08:22,960 --> 00:08:24,360 Speaker 2: and our community thrive? 151 00:08:25,040 --> 00:08:27,440 Speaker 1: Well, Fiona, lovely to speak to you this morning. I 152 00:08:27,520 --> 00:08:29,960 Speaker 1: really appreciate your time. Thanks so much for coming on 153 00:08:30,000 --> 00:08:30,400 Speaker 1: the show. 154 00:08:31,280 --> 00:08:33,680 Speaker 2: Yeah, thanks for your interest, Katie, thank you.