Interstate migration has consistently detracted from population growth in the Northern Territory (NT), with more people leaving the NT than arriving. In the NT, this population loss is usually offset by natural increase (greater births than deaths). However, the COVID-19 pandemic may have resulted in inbound and outbound migration changes. The 2021 Census of Population and Housing was conducted in the midst of COVID-19 pandemic restrictions, including closed borders both domestically and internationally. Analysis of Census data will help to inform migration patterns in the NT observed during this time.

Understanding the demographic characteristics of the NT is an important component of policy development and improved service delivery. Changes in population also influence funding and resource allocations. In 2018, the Northern Territory Government defined six regions (NT Regions) for service provision and reporting. These regions are: Darwin, Palmerston and Litchfield; Top End; East Arnhem; Big Rivers; Central Australia; and Barkly. The fact sheet summarises population changes from 1986 to 2016 overall and for each region.

Administrative data collections are becoming more important in the management, financing and monitoring of health services. The hospital morbidity dataset is particularly important in this regard since the introduction of Casemix mananagement and funding of hospital inpatient services and cross-border charging for inpatient treatment of interstate residents. High data quality is vital when financial allocation and management decisions are based on the hospital morbidity dataset.

This fact sheet provides an overview of the Northern Territory demography in 2015

This data quality survey is the third project conducted by the Northern Territory (NT) Department of Health over a 13 year period to measure the accuracy of demographic information collected by NT public hospitals about hospital inpatients. The NT component of the survey was conducted by the Health Gains Planning (HGP) Branch of the NT Department of Health. HGP Branch staff interviewed 892 inpatients of the five NT public hospitals during their hospital admission. Patients were asked about their age, sex, Indigenous status, country of birth, and place of residence. In addition, the NT survey included questions about the patient’s place of residence one year and five years ago. The survey results were compared with information recorded in the NT hospital information system, which is shared by all NT public hospitals.