Report: Entrenched disadvantage found in communities across all states and territories

Dropping off the Edge 2015, a report produced by Jesuit Social Services and Catholic Social Services Australia, maps disadvantage across the country based on 22 social indicators including long-term unemployment, criminal convictions and domestic violence.

The report shows disadvantage is entrenched in a small number of communities across Australia, most of which have remained similarly disadvantaged for more than a decade. The report also outlines that residents in these communities aren’t just dealing with one form of disadvantage but multiple, complex barriers to individual wellbeing and community participation.

According to the report, concentration of disadvantage was found in eleven postcodes in NSW and VIC, seven in SA, six in TAS and WA, four in NT and two in the ACT.

The report calls for a new approach targeted at reducing the most severe deep-seated disadvantage, taking into account the unique characteristics and circumstances of each community.

View colour-coded maps for five states and search for a particular location to see where it ranks on a range of indicators on the Dropping off the Edge 2015 website.