Tasmania is the state closest to the charity sector’s ideal society, according to a new report from the Community Council for Australia (CCA).
The island state, which has long been an easy target for economic ridicule, was praised for its even incomes, safety, employment and housing access and environmental sustainability in the report, entitled The Australia We Want.
"On measures like cost of housing, fair distribution of income and perceptions of safety, it is one of the leading jurisdictions,” the report states.
"However, educational attainment is the lowest in Australia with over a third of Tasmanians aged 15 to 74 not having completed secondary education."
Tasmania shares the unwanted mantle of the highest unemployment rate in the country with South Australia at 6.7 per cent.
CCA chair, Reverend Tim Costello, said the report reflected the "first ever benchmark” for the states against values and goals prioritised by leaders from across the charities sector.
He said the report found nationally that levels of incarceration, suicide and corruption were too high and distribution of income, volunteering and generosity were too low.
"The values and indicators outlined in this report provide a framework for exploring, debating and evaluating the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats inherent in the way all of us act - charities, businesses, governments, communities," he said.
Victoria was the only other state to receive an overall positive rating.
Western Australia received a score of negative seven and failed to record a single positive result in any one of the ten categories.
The Australian Capital Territory recorded the best result when territories were included: a positive seven rating.
Tasmania records the best rating of the states, though the ACT has a better result overall. Source: CCA
