Subjective wellbeing of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island people of Australia

Abstract

This chapter explores the subjective wellbeing of Indigenous Australians. Evidence is provided on: (1) mean levels of self-reported life satisfaction; (2) trends in these means; and (3) differences in the determinants of life satisfaction between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians. The results indicate that Indigenous Australians’ wellbeing has changed little over the period from 2001 to 2015. Contrary to a priori expectations, Indigenous Australians with higher levels of income and education are observed to report lower levels of wellbeing. This result questions the direction of current policies aimed at enhancing Indigenous wellbeing.