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Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander Community Insights
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Disability

38% of Indigenous Australians were living with disability (2018–19)
15% of Indigenous Australians were informal carers for others living with disability (2016)
52% of Indigenous Australians aged 15–64 living with disability participated in the labour force (2018–19)

Wayne Quilliam Photography

Overview

Disability affects many people, directly or indirectly. It may be a life-altering event or experience. It may have large or small effects on people’s daily lives. Increasingly, disability is recognised as something that affects most people, to varying degrees and at different life stages. Disability is an umbrella term for impairments, activity limitations and participation restrictions; all of which can interact with health conditions and other circumstances to hinder a person’s full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others. This section presents information about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people living with disability or caring for people with disability.

Key facts
75%

of Indigenous Australians who lived with disability and participated in the labour force were employed

49%

of Indigenous Australians living with disability had an educational attainment of Year 12 or higher

54%

of Indigenous Australians living with disability had a physical disability

59%

of Indigenous National Disability Agreement service users with informal carers were being cared for by their mothers

Estimated prevalence of disability amongst Indigenous Australians by state, 2018–19
Select a state to view more statistics

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