Melbourne has been named one of the world’s top 10 best cities to live in.
Victoria’s state capital came out in 10th place in the Economist Intelligence Unit’s 2022 most liveable* city survey.
Austria’s capital, Vienna, claimed top spot on the list, followed by Danish capital city Copenhagen and Zurich in Switzerland.
The next best Australian city was Brisbane, which was ranked in 27th place. It was followed by Adelaide in 30th place and Perth in 32nd spot.
All three of those cities were in the top 10 last year, but dropped down the pecking order because of their slow return to normality following strict Covid-19 restrictions.
“Cities that were towards the top of our rankings before the pandemic have rebounded on the back of their stability, good infrastructure* and services, as well as enjoyable leisure activities,” the report said.
The EIU’s Global Liveability Index assesses more than 170 cities around the globe on healthcare, culture, infrastructure, stability, education and environment.
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews lauded* the result.
“It’s hard to get a table at a restaurant, it’s hard to get a room in a hotel,” Mr Andrews said.
“The city’s back. We are thriving and Victorians can be very proud of what they’ve achieved.”
Melbourne had spent seven years on top of the world’s most liveable city list until it was dethroned in 2018 by Vienna. It was ranked ninth in the 2021 survey.
Adelaide took out third spot last year, behind Auckland in New Zealand and Osaka in Japan.
South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas said he expected Adelaide to bounce back in future rankings.
“South Australians are very proud of the fact that we do live in one of the most liveable cities in the world and also one of the most liveable cities in the nation,” Mr Malinauskas said.
“The fact that it slipped back throughout 2021 is unfortunate, but I suspect it will creep back up the table again now that the worst of Covid, hopefully, has passed us by.”
Last year’s winner, Auckland, fell out of the top 10 in the 2022 list to land at a surprising 34th place.
Syrian capital Damascus, Lagos in Nigeria and Tripoli in Libya were ranked as the worst three cities to live in.
GLOSSARY
- liveable: comfortable and easy to live in
- infrastructure: basic facilities for operating a society, like buildings, roads, power supplies
- lauded: praised, celebrated
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QUICK QUIZ
- What position did Melbourne get ranked on the list of the world’s most liveable cities?
- Which Australian capital was the next highest Aussie city on the list?
- Which European city was ranked at No.1?
- How many cities around the world were assessed for this list?
- Name one of the three bottom ranked cities.
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CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES
1. My city
Most people tend to be biased and think their own city is the best … do you? Make a “Top 5 things about my city” list with a short paragraph explaining each aspect you have identified as being great about your city. (Don’t worry if you don’t live near a capital city, you can choose the closest town if you want to.)
Time: allow 20 minutes to complete this activity
Curriculum Links: English; HASS
2. Extension
What is something that could be improved in your city? Explain what you would do if you were in charge, to make it a better place.
Time: allow 15 minutes to complete this activity
Curriculum Links: English; HASS
VCOP ACTIVITY
Read this!
A headline on an article – or a title on your text – should capture the attention of the audience, telling them to read this now. So choosing the perfect words for a headline or title is very important.
Create three new headlines for the events that took place in this article. Remember, what you write and how you write it will set the pace for the whole text, so make sure it matches.
Read out your headlines to a partner and discuss what the article will be about based on the headline you created. Discuss the tone and mood you set in just your few, short words. Does it do the article justice? Will it capture the audience’s attention the way you hoped? Would you want to read more?
Consider how a headline or title is similar to using short, sharp sentences throughout your text. They can be just as important as complex ones. Go through the last text you wrote and highlight any short, sharp sentences that capture the audience.
