Northern Territory Contemporary Indigenous Migration Trends

A growing net loss of Indigenous residents of the Northern Territory to other jurisdictions in Australia has been observed in successive Censuses. In this report we examine Northern Territory Indigenous migration trends from 2001 to 2016 to identify patterns, flows and the characteristics of Indigenous migrants arriving
to and departing from the Territory for interstate. The aim is to inform considerations by policy-makers on ways to enhance the retention of Indigenous people in the Territory and to increase attraction rates for those outside of the Territory. We also provide insights about return migration rates and characteristics for Indigenous residents compared to others. While the aim is primarily to outline migration trends, as context we provide baseline data on Territory Indigenous population characteristics and trends which are important to understanding recent and future Indigenous population growth and change in the Territory.