Anmatjere vs Papunya and Outstations

Anmatjere and Papunya and Outstations are remote Northern Territory regions with distinct profiles. Anmatjere has a much larger First Nations population of 586 people and a typical First Nations age of 29. However, it faces significant challenges, with a First Nations unemployment rate of 43.7%, which is far higher than the 14.5% seen in Papunya and Outstations. Access to services varies by location; for example, 50.3% of homes in Anmatjere are within a 15-minute walk of a school, compared to 99% in Papunya and Outstations.

While both areas are car-dependent and have nearly identical terrain, the gap in First Nations Year 12 completion has shifted over time, with Anmatjere now well higher at 12.9% compared to 5.8% in Papunya and Outstations. Both areas stand far above the national figure for people who speak a First Nations language, with Papunya and Outstations slightly higher at 96% and Anmatjere at 92%.