Many people think Melbourne is a very good city to live in. They suffer much higher rates of disease and infant mortality and much lower rates of life expectancy than other Australians 2. It holds power federally and in five of the six states. Australia has a very poor record in providing for the health needs of Aboriginal people. It accounts for a very high number of hospital admissions and creates a burden on our health care system.
Smoking is a very serious health problem in Australia.
It was the busiest port in the world at the time. The Liberal Party today is a very successful political party. In the early 1990's an international panel judged it to be the world's most livable city. It has one of the highest rates of unemployment in the country 7. It is arguably the single most important factor in determining good health.