Northern territory
Dropping off the Edge 2021 finds disadvantage is disproportionately located in a small number of communities in regional and remote areas of the Northern Territory, which experience a complex web of disadvantage that makes it challenging to improve life opportunities.
Key findings
Disadvantage is concentrated in a small number of communities within the Northern Territory.
Eight areas, about 13% of locations, account for 46% of the most disadvantaged rank positions across all indicators.
These communities experience a complex web of disadvantage that make it challenging to improve life opportunities.
All of the top 10 disadvantaged areas in the Northern Territory were outside Darwin — yet just one-third of locations are located outside Greater Darwin.
ABOUT 13 per cent OF LOCATIONS, ACCOUNTED FOR 46 per cent OF THE MOST DISADVANTAGED RANK POSITIONS ACROSS ALL INDICATORS.
Locational disadvantage is concentrated…
A limited number of communities disproportionately occupy the most disadvantaged positions across the various indicators:
Eight areas, about 13% of locations, account for nearly half (46%) of the most disadvantaged rank positions across all indicators.
Three areas, about 5% of locations, account for 25% of the most disadvantaged rank positions across all indicators. This is a five-fold overrepresentation, indicating the heavy burden of disadvantage borne by a limited section of the community.
….and occurs on multiple fronts
Disadvantage is difficult to shift when it occurs across multiple areas of life, as these challenges combine to create what can seem to be insurmountable hurdles.
Ten areas in the Northern Territory that ranked as most disadvantaged on at least 5 indicators.
Two locations in the Northern Territory had 11 or more indicators in the highest 5% across the Territory.
Different areas rank highly on different indicators, highlighting the diversity of disadvantage between communities and the need to explicitly consider the individual community context when addressing disadvantage.
THERE IS IMMENSE SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC COST TO THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY AS A RESULT OF SUSTAINED DISADVANTAGE.
Most disadvantaged locations in the Northern Territory
| Band | SA2 Name | Population | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Most Disadvantaged Locations | |||
| 1 | East Arnhem | 8,559 | Rest of NT |
| 1 | Elsey | 2,650 | Rest of NT |
| 1 | Gulf | 4,731 | Rest of NT |
| 1 | Sandover - Plenty | 4,553 | Rest of NT |
| 1 | Tanami | 3,265 | Rest of NT |
| 1 | Tennant Creek | 3,302 | Rest of NT |
| 1 | Thamarrurr | 2,912 | Rest of NT |
| 1 | Tiwi Islands | 2,743 | Rest of NT |
| 1 | West Arnhem | 5,508 | Rest of NT |
| 1 | Yuendumu - Anmatjere | 2,407 | Rest of NT |
| Least Disadvantaged Locations | |||
| Brinkin - Nakara | 3,335 | Greater Darwin | |
| Fannie Bay - The Gardens | 3,737 | Greater Darwin | |
| Larrakeyah | 3,983 | Greater Darwin | |
| Leanyer | 4,527 | Greater Darwin | |
| Nightcliff | 3,812 | Greater Darwin | |
| Parap | 2,910 | Greater Darwin | |
| Rapid Creek | 3,441 | Greater Darwin | |
| Stuart Park | 4,363 | Greater Darwin | |
| Virginia | 3,557 | Greater Darwin | |
| Woolner - Bayview - Winnellie | 2,749 | Greater Darwin |