The major category Built Environment had more unfavourable
responses (59.9 per cent) than favourable responses (35.0 per
cent), but of the total of 1,394 unfavourable responses for the
entire sample, only 5.9 per cent referred to any aspects of the
built environment, such as the quality and suitability of housing
and other buildings; the supply, quality, operation, and
maintenance (but not costs) of utilities (such as sewerage,
garbage collection, and water supply); provision of streets and
footpaths; general comments relating to town planning (such as
size of dwelling sites, traffic density, etc.); and industrial
pollution, but not dust. (Appendix B explains the major and minor
subcategory titles and the basis for response interpretation.
Apart from one or two minor changes marked by*, the scheme
follows Brealey and Newton's CSIRO report [1978] .)

In table 4.3 comparison between the favourable and
unfavourable responses is made for each of the minor categories
that made up this and each of the other seven major factors. The
table also shows the response pattern obtained by Brealey and
Newton 11978) in their studies of Hedland, a mining-related
centre in the arid north-west of Western Australia. Appendix C
represents the results for all responses, and reference to it
will show that dissatisfaction with building designs (usually
houses} and with the provision, operation, and maintenance of
utilities is dominant. Of all prompts, 4.2 per cent produced
state-meets about the built environment. (The reader should be
careful not to confuse the number of responses, with the number
of people in the sample; the former is over ten times larger.)

Table 4.4 presents each prompt used in the field studies as
well as the response characteristics associated with it. To
assist interpretation of this table, consider the first prompt,
"I think that the greatest difference between living here
and living in a capital city is ..." There were 20 responses
to this particular prompt out of a possible 233 if every subject
had wanted to write something about the built environment but
nothing about any other aspect of life experience in Alice
Springs.

All 20 were favourable, and this represented 8.6 per cent of
all responses to the first prompt. A greater proportion of all
responses about the built environment (14.8 per cent) was drawn
from the third prompt, "More attention should be paid to
..." Here the responses were unfavourable, especially in
relation to buildings and utilities (see table

TABLE 4.3. Percentage of Favourable and Unfavourable
Comments in Major and Minor Categories from Incomplete Statements
and Comparison with Hedland, Western Australia (Alice Springs
sample 233, Hedland sample 109)

Category and
Subcategory
(Total may differ due to rounding)

Alice Springs

Hedland

Favourable

Unfavourable

Favourable

Unfavourable

Built environment

1.1 Buildings

1.1

2.6

4.7

2.6

1.2 Utilities

0.5

2.2

0.1

1.6

1.3 Streets

-

0.1

1.2

1.4 Town planning

3.0

0.9

0.9

3.2

1.5 Pollution

1.9

-

0.6

0.5

Total

6.6

5.9

6.3

9.1

Natural environment

2.1 Climate

3.3

2.4

1.2

1.8

2.2 Temperature

0.3

3.8

0.1

2.1

2.3 Topography

1.4

0.1

0.1

2.4 Flora and fauna

0.5

0.1

1.6

2.5 Dust

-

0.2

0.5

2.6 Water surface

0.1

3.2

Not applicable

Total

5.6

9.8

1.4

6.0

Isolation and access

3.1 Feeling of isolation

1.8

12.5

0.3

2.8

3.2 Communication

-

0.6

0.2

1.2

3.3 Transportation

0.1

9.4

0.2

1.9

3.4 Holidays

-

0.4

0.1

0.4

3.5 Relatives

0.1

0.9

0.1

0.5

3.6 Other 3

0.3

0.4

0.1

Total

2.5

24.2

0.9

6.7

Administrative policy

4.1 Work situation

-

-

0.4

0.4

4.2 Town and citizen welfare

0.4

0.6

0.9

1.6

4.3 Other 4

1.5

2.5

0.8

3.3

Total

1.9

3.1

2.1

5.4

Community facilities

5.1 Education

-

0.6

0.7

0.9

5.2 Entertainment,
recreation

1.1

6.0

1.6

10.1

5.3 Health

0.3

0.5

0.1

2.7

5.4 Shopping, commercial
services

0.1

2.2

0.1

6.1

5.5 Local transport

-

1.6

0.6

5.6 Other 5

0.7

0.6

0.1

2.2

Total

2.2

11.5

2.5

22.6

Community dynamics

6.1 Alcohol and gambling

-

4.8

0.1

0.7

6.2 Social relationships

29.8

1.9

7.9

4.7

6.3 Civic pride

-

0.4

0.2

6.4 Children's future

0.4

-

0.4

6.5 Standard of living

0.8

0.1

0.4

0.2

6.6 Work opportunities,
relationships

2.6

0.4

2.8

0.4

6.7 Family cohesiveness

2.3

0.3

0.7

0.6

Other 6

1.1

1.0

0.3

0.6

Total

37.0

8.9

12.1

7.8

Economic considerations

7.1 Cost of living

0.1

4.6

4.7

7.2 Rent, rates

0.1

0.2

0.8

0.2

7.3 Wages, savings

1.4

0.1

3.5

0.6

7.4 Land prices

0.1

0.1

7.5 Other 7

-

0.1

0.6

Total

1.8

5.1

4.3

5.7

Miscellaneous

8.1 Challenge

1.5

0.2

0.4

-

8.2 Length of stay

1.6

1.1

0.3

0.5

8.3 Aboriginal issues

4.4

8.4

0.1

0.1

8.4 Travel

-

-

0.7

8.5 Local origin

-

-

Not
applicable

8.6 Tourism

13.8

5.3

1.5

0.6

8.7 Town size

3.7

10.6

Total

25.0

25.7

Not identifiable

17.5

5.8

1.9

1.3

Sub total N

732

1,394

576

1,130

The Hedland data is from Brealey and Newton (1978). In
Appendix C the full table of responses from the 1980 and 1981
Alice Springs field surveys, including those which were
indeterminate, is presented.

TABLE 4.4. Distribution of Responses to Incomplete
Statement Prompts as Percentages of the Total Frequency with
Total as Actual Frequency

Prompt

Mode
of Response

Category

Built
environ- ment

Natural
environ- ment

Isolation
& access

Adminis-
trative policy

Community
facilities

Community
dynamics

Economic
consideration

Miscel
laneous

Non-identifi-
able

Not
answered

Total

1.
I think that the greatest difference between living here
and living in a capital city is

Favourable

8.6

48.5

0

2.1

Unfavourable

0.9

8.6

9.0

1.3

7.7

0.9

Indeterminate

0.4

0.9

3.4

0.4

2.6

5.2

Total N =

20

3

21

21

124

18

3

11

12

233

2.Living
here would be..if it weren't for

Favourable

0.4

0.4

0.4

0.4

0.4

0.4

0.9

2.2

0.9

Unfavourable

2.2

7.7

22.7

3.0

5.1

5.5

5.2

18.4

2.6

Indeterminate

0.4

0.4

0.9

1.7

13.7

Total N=

6

19

55

8

14

16

14

57

12

32

233

3.
More attention should be paid to

Favourable

0.4

3.4

Unfavourable

14.8

0.9

17.1

4.7

26.6

6.0

1.7

4.7

2.2

Indeterminate

0.4

3.2 1.6

3.0

6.9

Total N=

37

2

40

11

62

22

5

26

12

16

233

4.There
is too much emphasis on

Favourable

0.4

2.1

0.4

Unfavourable

0.4

1.3

4.7

1.7

23.1

0.4

21.0

5.2

Indeterminate

0.9

0.9

0.9

15.0

2.2

19.3

Total N =

1

6

13

4

56

1

89

18

45

233

5.Living
here is like

Favourable

0.4

1.7

0.4

7.7

0.9

7.7

Unfavourable

0.9

9.9

0.9

0.4

1.7

0.9

2.6

3.0

Indeterminate

2.2

0.4

3.1

18.5

36.9

Total N =

3

32

2

2

23

2

15

68

86

233

6.I
am glad that

Favourable

3.0

3.9

1.3

4.6

1.3

6.9

3.9

19.0

Unfavourable

0.4

3.5

2.2

0.9

1.3

0.9

8.6

2.2

Indeterminate

1.7

0.4

0.4

0.4

5.6

26.7

Total N =

8

17

12

9

6

20

3

33

62

62

232

7.I
wish that it wasn't so

Favourable

0.9

0.4

0.4

Unfavourable

2.2

23.2

36.5

0.4

2.2

2.2

3.9

3.4

1.7

Indeterminate

0.9

0.9

0.9

0.9

19.3

Total N =

5

58

88

1

5

5

9

11

6

45

233

8.I
would rather live

Favourable

0.4

0.9

3.4

13.3

Unfavourable

0.9

7.0

19.7

0.4

3.0

1.9

0.4

2.2

8.6

Indeterminate

1.3

1.3

0.9

3.0

4.3

27.3

Total N=

2

20

50

1

7

8

1

20

61

63

233

9.Living
here I find that I

Favourable

0.9

1.7

0.4

0.9

26.6

1.7

5.1

3.9

Unfavourable

0.4

1.3

9.0

0.4

5.5

5.9

3.4

4.2

3.9

Indeterminate

2.6

4.7

3.9

24.5

Total N =

3

7

23

1

16

80

12

7

27

57

233

10.The
aspect of riving condition here which I think most
important is

Favourable

6.9

7.7

0.4

0.9

1.6

17.6

0.9

0.9

2.6

Unfavourable

8.6

2.5

1.3

0.4

0.9

4.7

0.9

Indeterminate

2.6

0.4

1.3

0.4

0.9

2.2

32.2

Total N =

42

24

5

2

8

46

14

6

11

75

233

11.I
came here because

Favourable

0.4

2.6

1.3

0.4

1.7

7.2

1.7

2.9

4.7

Unfavourable

0 4

Indeterminate

50.4

13.8

5.6

6.0

Total N=

1

6

3

1

3

135

4

41

24

14

232

12.
The tourist industry

Favourable

42.5

Unfavourable

0.4

0.4

23.7

Indeterminate

17.2

15.9

Total N =

1

1

194

37

233

13.If
only

Favourable

0.4

0.4

0.4

2.2

0.4

Unfavourable

4.7

10.8

16.8

3.9

12.9

3.8

0.9

8.1

5.2

Indeterminate

0.9

2.1

2.2

22.8

Total N =

11

25

42

10

30

11

3

29

18

53

232

14.If
Alice Springs were twice the size

Favourable

11.6

0.9

Unfavourable

0.4

58.8

Indeterminate

10.3

0.4

18.9

Total N =

1

185

3

44

233

Total
responses for each major category

136

184

377

59

180

546

87

716

333

641

3,259

Percentages
of all responses

4.2

5.6

11.6

1.8

5.5

16.8

2.6

21.9

10.2

19.7

100

A majority of comments were unfavourable (induced by the
biased prompt), especially about the quality and suitability of
housing and the supply, quality, and operation of services
(utilities) such as electricity, sewerage, and garbage
collection. On the other hand, distance to work and traffic
densities were favourably viewed and were often expressed as
being in marked contrast to experiences in the capitals and
larger cities of Australia.

Absence of pollution was also stated as a positive attribute
of the built environment.

TABLE 4.5. Ranking of Minor Category Responses > 1 Per
Cent

Ranking of
Favourable
Responses Above 1 Per Cent

Ranking of
Unfavourable
Responses Above 1 Per Cent

Rank

Item

% of N
N = 782

Rank

Item

% of N
N = 139

1

Social relations

29.8

1

Isolation

12.5

2

Tourism

13.8

2

Increase town size

10.6

3

Race issues

4.4

3

Transport costs

9.4

4

Town size

3.7

4

Race issues

8.4

5

Climate

3.3

5

Recreation facilities

6.0

6

Planning

3.0

6

Tourism

5.3

7

Work opportunities

2.6

7

Alcohol end gambling

4.8

8

Family cohesiveness

2.3

8

Cost of living

4.6

9

Pollution

1.9

9

Temperatures

3.8

10

Isolation

1.8

10

Water surface

3.2

11

Length of stay

1.6

11

Buildings

2.6

12

Challenge

1.5

12

Climate

2.4

13 =

Topography/scenery

1.4

13 =

Utilities

2.2

13 =

Wages

1.4

13 =

Retail and commerce

2.2

15 =

Recreation facilities

1.1

15

Social relations

1.9

15 =

Buildings

1.1

16

Local transport

1.6

17

Intended length of stay

1.1

The table illustrates the proportion of each minor category of
responses to open-ended statement prompts. For instance, social
relations 29.8 favourable means that 29.8 per cent of all
favourable responses were about social relations.