Social Progress Index ranks Northern Territory equity lowest in country

The NT’s social progress index score has consistently ranked lowest in the country for seven years. Find out where the Territory landed in the latest results.

Social equity and wellbeing in the Northern Territory has been ranked the poorest in the country for the seventh year in a row.

The Centre for Social Impact’s latest Social Progress Index report revealed the NT’s aggregate equity score fell to 44.43 in 2021 – the next highest score was Western Australia with 56.71.

The score is built on data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics, the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, NAPLAN and the Household, Income, and Labour Dynamics in Australia survey.

The report found the NT’s lowest rated indicator was personal freedom and choice in residents’ lives – informed by child abuse substantiations, out of home care, public transport safety and women seeking homelessness services.

Despite the low score, acting Chief Minister Nicole Manison said the Territory government was advocating for Territorians’ access to quality education, housing, and healthcare.

Ms Manison said a “record breaking” $2bn over 10 years was dedicated to building and refurbishing remote housing.

“Budget 2023 provides $842.6 million to construct new and refurbish existing housing in remote and urban areas, and progress residential land release across the Territory,” she said.

“$19.7 million is allocated for flexible accommodation infrastructure in Tennant Creek and Darwin.”

Centre for Social Impact chief executive Arminé Nalbandian said the index would help decision-makers identify and understand policy gaps.

“The Social Progress Index supports the federal government’s commitment to ‘measure what matters’, enabling governments to better understand the living reality for people across Australia,” Ms Nalbandian said.

“Drawing on the strongest available data sources, the index shows us where policy decisions are not landing with the communities they are meant to serve.

“This tool can help focus government efforts across the country on the policy and structural changes needed to drive change.”

It comes after the final results of Charles Darwin University’s My Territory Connections survey – a new Social Capital Index for the NT – was released in May, which found nine in 10 people living in Darwin felt safe in their homes.

CDU Northern Institute Demographer and Research Associate Fiona Shalley said the data was collected from November 2021 to June 2022.

“The survey is a point in time measure of the feelings, opinions and experiences of the people who participated, so we can’t speculate how this may have changed over the last six months,” Ms Shalley said.

“The Social Capital Index is an important tool for tracking positive social outcomes across our population and over time.”

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Originally published as Social Progress Index ranks Northern Territory equity lowest in country