How lonely are Australia's city-dwellers and what can be done to address it?

A man walks his dog Sydney Australia. (Photo by Palani Mohan/Getty Images). Source: Getty Images AsiaPac

In January this year, Britain introduced a 'Minister for Loneliness' to tackle the growing problem of social isolation. Associated with poor physical and mental health outcomes, loneliness is increasingly being recognised worldwide as a major public health concern. But just how bad is the problem in Australia, and what role can urban planners and community groups play in tackling it in our cities?

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