In general, Australia is a very safe country to visit, or live in, with crime levels as low as those of most Northern European countries. According to the gov.uk foreign travel advice website, the level of crime in Australia is no higher than in Britain.
Crime rate in Australia – an overview
In the Global Peace Index, an annual ranking of which countries in the world are the safest, conducted by the Institute for Economics and Peace, Australia ranked 13th out of 163 countries for the year 2020.
Australia crime rate & statistics for 2020 was 0.87, a 2.91% decline from 2019. Australia crime rate & statistics for 2019 was 0.89, a 0.57% increase from 2018. Australia crime rate & statistics for 2018 was 0.89, a 4.9% increase from 2017. Australia crime rate & statistics for 2017 was 0.85, a 9.57% decline from 2016.
The United Kingdom's crime rate remains relatively low when compared to the rest of the world, especially among first world countries. As of 2019, the United Kingdom sits in 174th place for intentional homicide victims per 100,000 inhabitants at 1.20.
What is driving the increase in crimes in the UK? The sharp increase in crimes in recent years which came after significant reductions almost certainly has multiple causes, but one of the main factors is likely the cuts to public services imposed across the UK when the government was implementing austerity measures.
Crime rates
The homicide rate in Australia in 2021 was 0.86 per 100,000, which was lower than New Zealand's 1.0 per 100,000 and 1.3 per 100,000 in the United Kingdom. In comparison to North America in 2021, the United States and Canada had homicide rates of 3.8 and 2.2 per 100,000, respectively.
The crime rate in Australia is much lower than in the United States of America. As Australia ranks 47th while the USA ranks on 30th according to their crime rates. It is so rare for police officers to carry guns due to the low crime rate.
Key statistics
The mortality rate remained low in 2021 (507.2 per 100,000 people). Ischaemic heart disease was the leading cause of death.
Australia is generally a very safe and welcoming place to live and study, consistently ranking among the safest countries in the world.
Sydney prides itself on safety, deep culture, and friendly communities. It is considered the fifth safest city in the world and Australia's safest city. Like any other city, there is crime, just not as much. It is no secret that Sydney is a major city with a population of 5.2 million.
But overall, people in Australia seem to have a better work-life balance than in other developed countries. They are also, much like New Zealand, very open to long sabbaticals or time off earned so you can do gap years abroad without having to pay for price-y tickets home in between.
The monarch of the UK is still the head of state of Australia and 'rules' through a governor-general. The death of Queen Elizabeth II has reignited a debate in Australia regarding whether the country should become a republic, and thus shed its colonial past.
Many British people struggle in Australia, while others are thriving. These two places are so diverse that the final decision will depend on your personal preferences. The weather is indeed better in Australia. Yet, Australia is best to live a quiet life; the UK is best to seek opportunities.
Australia is ranked 69th out of 164 countries when it comes to crime in general while Canada did better with only 39.03 crimes per 100,000 and ranking 80th.
Australia performs well in many dimensions of well-being relative to other countries in the Better Life Index. Australia outperforms the average in income, jobs, education, health, environmental quality, social connections, civic engagement and life satisfaction. These assessments are based on available selected data.
One of the most prevalent crimes in Australia is sexual assault, with the largest proportion of victims being female.
North West England had the highest crime rate among regions of the United Kingdom in 2021/22 at approximately 106.8 crimes per 1,000 population.
New Zealand is often lauded as one of the safest countries in the world. In fact, according to the Global Peace Index, New Zealand is the second safest country in the world, behind only Iceland. There are several reasons why New Zealand is such a safe place to live.
There are nine million fewer people living there than in the UK. Yet an average of 50 people are murdered in the country every single day. In Britain, there are just two murders every 24 hours.