I do wonder a little why Australia ranks consistently so well in these studies-we are 200 years old with comparitively little shared history, ethnically non-unified, unsure of our place in the world, facing a semi-permanent drought, and have a terrible federal government, and yet we manage to be seen time and again as one of the world's best countries to live in, work in, do business in, etc.; plus we win sporting gloryn insane level. Twenty million people spread over an inhospitable continent, most of whom arrived less than 150 years ago, based in two cities that constantly rank as world leaders, neither with a building more than 220 years old...Scandinavia might beat us in these surveys often, but I'm pretty proud of our 8th, and the (even better) results we had in other similar studies.
All that gold probably had something to do with it.
You've partially touched on one aspect of Australia, but even though they are a 'resource dependant' economy and thus currently riding high (and in the past feeling the price pinch), they've maintained a fairly good quality of life for their working class even through the downturns. Basically they just have a generous dole, good worker protections, etc. Why?
Opebo,I know you like to make up your own facts, but Australia is a country with relatively low taxation. The tax level of Australia is around 30% of GDP, which is higher than the US but lower than most Western countries. Looking at what I can find Australia seems fairly typical of a Western country tax-wise. It's certainly much lower than in Sweden.
