IF YOU’RE feeling unsatisfied and unhappy, you are not alone.

According to a survey of wellbeing in Australia, people living in the federal seat of Scullin – including the suburbs of Thomastown, Lalor, Epping, Mill Park, South Morang and Bundoora – are some of the least happy in Victoria.

They are unhappy with their standard of living and health, they don’t feel safe and they often feel detached from their local community. Those were the results of Deakin University’s Australian Unity Wellbeing Index.

Researcher and sociologist Liz Eckermann said the results reflected people’s satisfaction with their own lives and did not necessarily reflect their general everyday moods.

“It’s doesn’t mean people are walking around grumpy,” Professor Eckermann told Star.

“The questions, though about quality of life, are not objective – we ask participants in the survey how satisfied they are with aspects of their own lives.

“Happiness can be equated with satisfaction in that sense, but it is subjective.”

The survey asked participants how satisfied they were with seven aspects of their lives, including living standards, health, life achievement, personal relationships, safety and community connectedness.

Scullin ranked among the lowest of Victoria’s 37 federal electorates, especially in health and living standards, and came in fifth overall.

But Lalor resident and World War 2 veteran Tom Culbertson said all the people he knew were pretty happy with their lives.

Mr Culbertson, 84, has lived in the area for 37 years and says he wouldn’t live anywhere else.

“Life could be better? I don’t think so,” he said.

“I wouldn’t think the people I see are unsatisfied and many of them have all been here for a long while.”

The veteran, a member of the Epping RSL, said he liked to get down to the club and have a beer with his mates at least three times a week.

“It’s a pretty good environment down there, we have a beer, and everyone is very friendly.”

However, Bundoora mother of two, Sarah Beswick, thinks some people can do with a little more laughter.

She runs the local laughing club, which despite starting over a year ago, has only four dedicated members.

“One woman has said to me that people around here needed more things like laughter clubs, but she didn’t join in,” Ms Beswick said.

She thinks people could be happier in the area.

“I work full time, my husband works full time, we have two children, we have a mortgage and we’re probably like most people in the area – life is hectic and stressful,” she said.

“So going to groups like the laughter club not only fosters community relationships, it’s good for you, it has health benefits and you’re there to have fun.”

Scullin MP Harry Jenkins said the wellbeing index confirmed that people perceived their lives as particularly stressful.

“This is understandable in areas on the outer urban fringe of a city like Melbourne,” Mr Jenkins said.

“And this just underscores the importance in making our local area more liveable with things like public transport and better health services.”

Mr Jenkins said in established areas, it was more about residents trying to make ends meet.

“Having said that I think a lot of individuals would say that they were reasonably happy with their lot, but quite rightly that they have hopes and aspirations for themselves and their families that go beyond their lot.”