Tasmania

Dropping off the Edge 2021 finds disadvantage is disproportionately located in a small number of communities in Tasmania, which experience high and persistent rates of family violence, prison contact, a lack of internet at home, and low incomes.

 Key findings

  • Disadvantage is concentrated in a small number of communities within Tasmania. Six areas (6% of locations) account for 36% of the most disadvantaged ranks across all indicators. This is a six-fold overrepresentation.

  • These communities experience a complex web of disadvantage that make it challenging to improve life opportunities.

  • Most of the disadvantaged communities in Tasmania (six of the 10 most disadvantaged areas) are located in Hobart, despite just one-third of the state’s population living in the city.

  • The most common forms of disadvantage are low income, family violence, prison admissions and no internet at home.

 

6 OF THE 10 MOST DISADVANTAGED AREAS ARE
IN HOBART.

 Locational disadvantage is concentrated

A limited number of communities disproportionately occupy the most disadvantaged positions across the various indicators:

  • Just two areas (2% of all locations) accounted for close to a quarter (23%) of the most disadvantaged positions, an elevenfold overrepresentation.

  • These two locations each rank in the top 5% of disadvantage against 19 of the 37 indicators ranked.

  • Six areas, about 6% of locations, account for 36% of the most disadvantaged rank positions across all indicators. This is a six-fold overrepresentation.

 

 Disadvantage occurs on multiple fronts

Disadvantage is difficult to shift when it occurs across multiple areas of life. These challenges combine to create what can seem to be insurmountable hurdles.

Two areas in Tasmania are dealing with particularly deep or multilayered disadvantage. These two locations have 19 indicators in the top 5% most disadvantaged ranks across all indicators.

A further four areas rank in the 5% most disadvantaged on at least five indicators.

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 Tasmania

 
BandSA2 NamePopulationLocation
Most Disadvantaged Locations
1Acton - Upper Burnie3,379Rest of Tas.
1Bridgewater - Gagebrook7,543Greater Hobart
1East Devonport4,816Rest of Tas.
1Glenorchy11,646Greater Hobart
1Mornington - Warrane4,812Greater Hobart
1New Norfolk6,949Greater Hobart
1Newnham - Mayfield10,038Rest of Tas.
1Ravenswood3,560Rest of Tas.
1Risdon Vale3,432Greater Hobart
1Rokeby6,971Greater Hobart
Least Disadvantaged Locations
Bellerive - Rosny6,092Greater Hobart
Cambridge8,367Greater Hobart
Hadspen - Carrick3,560Rest of Tas.
Howrah - Tranmere11,295Greater Hobart
Legana4,491Rest of Tas.
Sandy Bay12,905Greater Hobart
South Arm4,570Greater Hobart
Trevallyn4,729Rest of Tas.
Turners Beach - Forth3,365Rest of Tas.
West Hobart6,320Greater Hobart