Dropping off the edge: the distribution of disadvantage in Australia

Abstract

This research report identifies and describes the level of social disadvantage in Australian society. The research indicates that pockets of concentrated and severe social disadvantage have now become entrenched across rural and remote as well as suburban Australia. The report contains statistically reliable and consistent information about every population centre on more than 20 different disadvantage factors and an analysis of the data shows how and where public policy can be effectively used to overcome these long-terms problems of entrenched, intergenerational patterns of disadvantage.