Media Release

Research finds most Victorians wouldn’t live anywhere else in Australia

Victorians are embracing where they live, with residents more loyal to their home state than people living in any other state, a new study by Bank of Melbourne reveals.

A resounding 94% of Victorians say they are proud to be from Victoria, above the national average; while 71% would not want to live anywhere else in Australia, well ahead of all other mainland states including NSW which comes in at 63%. The Bank of Melbourne Victorian Communities 2018 Report shows Victorian pride is even stronger amongst First Generation Australians, with 97% of people born overseas and now living in Victoria saying they are proud to live here.

Bank of Melbourne Chief Executive Michelle Winzer said this sense of pride and loyalty to Victoria appeared to be linked with a strong sense of community; the research finding that 4 in 5 Victorians feel part of the local community.

“Victoria, like the other Australian mainland states, has a certain character making it unique and different from the rest,” Ms Winzer said. “I suspect Victorians are more likely to feel that the grass is greenest right here if they feel connected to their local community.”

The research shows that Millennials – those aged between 18 and 34 - are more likely than their older counterparts to not want to live anywhere else in Australia (83%); compared with Generation X (62%) and Baby Boomers (63%).

More Victorian men than women feel part of the local community (83% versus 76%); and this community connection is also strongest for Victorian Millennials at 84%, compared with Victorian Generation X at 77% and Victorian Baby Boomers at 74%.

Victorians are more likely than the national average to feel connected to their community by playing sport and attending a local sporting event, and 85% believe sport brings the community together. When supporting a sporting team, two thirds (65%) of Victorians feel like they’re part of a tribe.

The research also reveals that our community spirit extends to supporting local businesses and buying ‘local’, with 3 in 4 Victorians (73%) placing importance on buying from companies who have a positive impact on the local community, ahead of the national average (68%). At the same time, 7 in 10 (69%) Victorians believe it is important to buy from organisations which are locally owned; while 3 in 5 (61%) believe it is important to buy from locals who are just starting out in business.

“It seems that our strong sense of community belonging and support cuts both ways with Victorians seeking to support organisations which are either locally owned or that make a positive impact on the local community,” Ms Winzer said.

Further Information
Tristan Dwyer, Bank of Melbourne Corporate Affairs        
Tristan.dwyer@bankofmelbourne.com.au            
0435 961 618         

ABOUT THE RESEARCH:
The Bank of Melbourne Victorian Communities 2018 Report was commissioned by Bank of Melbourne and conducted by Lonergan Research in accordance with the ISO 20252 standard. Lonergan research surveyed 1,179 Australian adults aged 18+ and 285 Victorian Business Leaders. Surveys were distributed throughout Australia including both capital city and non-capital city areas. The survey was conducted online amongst members of a permission-based panel, between 5th and 12th June 2018. After interviewing, data was weighted to the latest population estimates sourced from the Australian Bureau of Statistics.