New report highlights 'unacceptable' levels of poverty in the NT

A new report has highlighted the unacceptable levels of poverty in the Northern Territory (NT), with rising costs making it harder for people to meet their basic needs compared to a decade ago. The report, released by the NT Council of Social Service (NTCOSS), examines changes in the cost of living between 2016 and 2026 across housing, utilities, transport, and food.

For an Alice Springs grandmother who receives a disability pension, affording groceries is a constant struggle due to the high cost of food. Shirley Napurrula Miller, among nearly 50 percent of the NT's population experiencing food insecurity in 2025, often cannot buy groceries, meat, or anything else. According to Foodbank Australia, 46 percent of NT households experienced food insecurity in 2025, above the national average of 33 percent.

In remote areas, the cost of food is even more prohibitive than in urban centers like Darwin and Alice Springs, with prices having risen substantially. The average cost of a healthy food basket was 40 percent more in remote stores than in a supermarket in 2023. Power costs have risen 18 percent, with prepaid electricity plans, predominantly used by First Nations people in urban and remote public housing, resulting in more frequent disconnections.

Involuntary self-disconnections in major centers in the NT last year totaled 103,648. Affordability challenges are a key driver of such disconnections, often forcing people to prioritize basic needs and borrow money from family. Rents have skyrocketed 55 percent over the past decade, while the NT's social housing stock only increased by 4 percent between 2017 and 2025, compared to a 37 percent increase in social housing applications over the same period.

Transport costs have also increased, with diesel prices surging 80 liters more in Darwin and 88 dollars more in Alice Springs. The report's co-author, Jonathan Pilbrow, expressed concern about "poverty premiums" paid by those on income support, who face extra fees for paying monthly or yearly charges. Key recommendations include raising income support payments and extending the federal government's low-cost essentials subsidy scheme to include more fresh and frozen meat, fruit, vegetables, and nutrient-dense baby food.