ABS 2006 CHINS data

The Community Housing and Infrastructure Needs Survey (CHINS) was conducted by the ABS in 2006. The survey collected information about all discrete Indigenous communities and Indigenous organisations that provide housing to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Table 1 shows the distribution of discrete Indigenous communities by remoteness.

Table 1: Number and proportion of discrete Indigenous communities, by remoteness, 2006
  Number of communities Per cent (%)
Major cities 4 0.3
Inner regional 19 1.6
Outer regional 52 4.4
Remote 104 8.8
Very remote 1,008 84.9
Total 1,187 100.0

Source: ABS 2006 CHINS.

The distribution of the population in discrete Indigenous communities by remoteness is shown in Table 2.

Table 2: Number and proportion of reported usual population in discrete Indigenous communities, by remoteness, 2006
  Number of people Per cent (%)
Major cities 346 0.4
Inner regional 1,870 2.0
Outer regional 10,254 11.0
Remote 11,237 12.1
Very remote 69,253 74.5
Total 92,960 100.0

Source: ABS 2006 CHINS.

The distribution of dwellings in discrete Indigenous communities by remoteness is shown in Table 3.

Table 3: Number and proportion of permanent dwellings in discrete Indigenous communities, by remoteness, 2006
  Number of dwellings Per cent (%)
Non-remote 2,244 13.1
Remote 1,828 10.6
Very remote 13,105 76.3
Total 17,177 100.0

Source: ABS 2006 CHINS.

The condition of permanent dwellings managed by Indigenous Housing Organisations (IHO) in discrete Indigenous communities by remoteness is shown in Table 4. Dwellings were regarded as being in need of minor or no repair if the cost of repairs was less than:

  • $20,000 in low cost areas
  • $27,000 in medium cost areas
  • $33,000 in high cost areas.

Dwellings were regarded as being in need of major repair if the cost of repairs was:

  • $20,000 to $60,000 in low cost areas
  • $27,000 to $80,000 in medium cost areas
  • $33,000 to $100,000 in high cost areas.

Dwellings were regarded as being in need of replacement if the cost of repairs was:

  • $60,000 or more in low cost areas
  • $80,000 or more in medium cost areas
  • $100,000 or more in high cost areas.
Table 4: Number and proportion of permanent dwellings managed by Indigenous Housing Organisations, by dwelling condition, by remoteness, 2006
  Non-remote Remote Very remote Total
Number of IHO managed permanent dwellings  
Total IHO managed permanent dwellings(a) 7,006 2,441 12,407 21,854
Per cent (%)
Minor or no repair 72 64 69 69
Major repair 24 26 22 23
Replacement 4 10 8 7
Total IHO managed permanent dwellings(a) 100 100 100 100
  1. Includes 'condition of permanent dwellings' not stated.

Source: ABS 2006 CHINS.

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