Beyond the stunning landscapes and laid-back culture lies a stark reality: Australia's 2022 crime statistics reveal a nation grappling with sobering rates of homicide, assault, sexual violence, and fraud that demand a closer examination.
Key Takeaways
- In 2022, Australia recorded 287 homicide victims
- Homicide rate in Australia was 0.87 per 100,000 population in 2021
- New South Wales had 67 homicides in 2022
- Australia recorded 402,780 assault victims in 2022
- Assault rate was 1,567 per 100,000 in 2022
- NSW assaults: 134,000 in 2022
- Australia sexual assault victims: 35,971 in 2022
- Sexual assault rate 138 per 100,000 in 2022
- NSW sexual assaults: 9,500 in 2022
- Australia burglary victims 177,451 in 2022
- Burglary rate 689 per 100,000 in 2022
- Theft victims total 703,962 in 2022
- Australia drug offences recorded 140,000 in 2022
- Cannabis offences 65% of drug crimes in 2022
- Amphetamine detections 25,000 in 2022
Australia's crime rates vary by region and type, with violent crimes declining but fraud rising significantly.
Assaults
- Australia recorded 402,780 assault victims in 2022
- Assault rate was 1,567 per 100,000 in 2022
- NSW assaults: 134,000 in 2022
- Victoria assaults increased 7% to 78,000 in 2022
- Queensland assaults: 82,000 victims in 2022
- WA assaults: 45,000 in 2022
- SA assaults rose 10% to 28,000 in 2022
- Tasmania assaults: 4,500 in 2022
- NT assaults: 12,000 per 100k rate in 2022
- ACT assaults: 3,200 in 2022
- Family and domestic assaults: 52% of total assaults 2022
- Serious assault victims: 143,000 nationally 2022
- Assaults with injury: 25% of cases in 2022
- Youth assault victims aged 10-14: highest rate 2022
- Alcohol-related assaults: 40% in NSW 2022
- Assault victimisation rate males 2,100 per 100k 2022
- Public order assaults up 5% nationally 2022
- Residential assaults: 35% of total 2022
- NSW assault rate 1,600 per 100k 2022
- Victoria assault rate 1,300 per 100k 2022
- QLD assault rate 1,500 per 100k 2022
- WA assault rate 1,600 per 100k 2022
- SA assault rate 1,500 per 100k 2022
- TAS assault rate 800 per 100k 2022
- NT assault rate 9,000 per 100k 2022
- ACT assault rate 700 per 100k 2022
- Assaults declined 2% from 2021 in Victoria
Assaults Interpretation
While Australia's overall assault rate paints a grim picture of one incident for every 64 people, the Northern Territory's staggering rate of 9,000 per 100,000 suggests that if crime were the Olympics, they'd be unfairly competing in a different, far more violent sport altogether.
Drug Offences
- Australia drug offences recorded 140,000 in 2022
- Cannabis offences 65% of drug crimes in 2022
- Amphetamine detections 25,000 in 2022
- NSW drug offences 45,000 in 2022
- Victoria drug possession 28,000 cases 2022
- Queensland drug driving offences 35,000 in 2022
- WA drug offences up 8% to 22,000 2022
- SA drug trafficking 1,200 detections 2022
- Tasmania cannabis offences 2,500 in 2022
- NT drug offences rate 1,500 per 100k 2022
- ACT drug use/possess 3,000 in 2022
- Heroin offences 5,000 nationally 2022
- Drug manufacture/cultivate 12,000 cases 2022
- Indigenous drug offence rate 4x non-Indigenous 2022
- Drug offence court finalisations 110,000 in 2021-22
- Diversion for drug possession 60% of cases 2022
- Methamphetamine seizures 15 tonnes in 2022
- Cocaine detections up 20% to 4,500 in 2022
- NSW cannabis possession 30,000 in 2022
- Victoria amphetamine offences 7,000 in 2022
- QLD drug supply offences 8,000 in 2022
- WA cannabis offences 12,000 in 2022
- SA methamphetamine offences 3,500 in 2022
- TAS drug offences 3,200 in 2022
- NT cannabis use rate high 2022
- ACT drug trafficking 400 cases 2022
- Drug offences stable nationally 2021-2022
Drug Offences Interpretation
It seems Australia has a serious case of preferring its own home-grown green, while still battling a methamphetamine shadow and a troubling equity gap, all while the justice system tries to sort the users from the profiteers.
Fraud and Cyber
- Fraud victims 179,000 in Australia 2022
- Fraud rate 702 per 100,000 in 2022 up 9%
- Cybercrime reports 68,000 to ACCC in 2022
- Identity fraud cases 40,000 in 2022
- NSW fraud 50,000 victims 2022
- Victoria investment scams $200m losses 2022
- Queensland cyber fraud up 25% 2022
- WA fraud offences 18,000 in 2022
- SA scams 12,000 reports 2022
- Tasmania fraud 2,500 cases 2022
- NT cybercrime reports 1,200 in 2022
- ACT fraud rate 900 per 100k 2022
- Phishing scams top cybercrime 30% in 2022
- Romance scams losses $40m in 2022
- Business email compromise $100m losses 2022
- Online shopping fraud 15,000 cases 2022
- Elderly fraud victims 25% higher rate 2022
- Cryptocurrency scams $200m losses 2022
- Job scams 8,000 reports 2022
- NSW cyber reports 15,000 to police 2022
- Victoria fraud up 12% 2022
- QLD investment fraud 5,000 victims 2022
- WA scam losses $50m 2022
- SA identity theft 3,000 cases 2022
- TAS online fraud 800 reports 2022
- NT fraud rate 1,200 per 100k 2022
- ACT phishing 500 cases 2022
- National cybercrime losses $3.1 billion in 2022
Fraud and Cyber Interpretation
In 2022, Australia's digital landscape proved so treacherously inventive that criminals, from pilfering pensions with a romantic flourish to hijacking corporate emails with bureaucratic glee, collectively swindled a staggering $3.1 billion, proving the most successful "business" model was often just an old-fashioned scam wearing a very new, phishing-resistant hat.
Homicides
- In 2022, Australia recorded 287 homicide victims
- Homicide rate in Australia was 0.87 per 100,000 population in 2021
- New South Wales had 67 homicides in 2022
- Victoria recorded 62 homicide victims in 2022
- Queensland reported 48 homicides in 2022
- Western Australia had 39 homicides in 2022
- South Australia recorded 25 homicides in 2022
- Tasmania had 4 homicides in 2022
- Northern Territory reported 27 homicides in 2022
- Australian Capital Territory had 5 homicides in 2022
- Firearm homicides accounted for 13% of total homicides in 2021
- Domestic homicides made up 38% of all homicides in 2020-21
- Homicide victims aged 25-34 numbered 72 in 2021
- Indigenous homicide victim rate was 5.5 per 100,000 in 2021
- Homicides declined by 6% from 2021 to 2022 nationally
- Manslaughter cases totalled 45 in Australia 2022
- Drive-by homicides were 2 in 2021
- Child homicide victims under 1 year: 12 in 2021
- Homicide clearance rate was 92% in 2021
- Multiple homicide incidents: 8 in 2021
- NSW homicide rate 0.8 per 100k in 2022
- Victoria homicide rate 0.9 per 100k in 2022
- QLD homicide rate 0.9 per 100k in 2022
- WA homicide rate 1.4 per 100k in 2022
- SA homicide rate 1.3 per 100k in 2022
- TAS homicide rate 0.7 per 100k in 2022
- NT homicide rate 10.5 per 100k in 2022
- ACT homicide rate 1.1 per 100k in 2022
- Homicides by knife: 22% in 2021
- Australia homicide victims 2020: 324
Homicides Interpretation
While Australia's overall homicide rate remains enviably low at 0.87 per 100,000, the stark and sobering reality is that this national average cruelly masks a profound and persistent inequality, as evidenced by the Northern Territory's rate being twelve times higher and the continued disproportionate tragedy faced by Indigenous communities.
Property Crimes
- Australia burglary victims 177,451 in 2022
- Burglary rate 689 per 100,000 in 2022
- Theft victims total 703,962 in 2022
- Motor vehicle thefts 59,912 in 2022 up 23%
- NSW burglaries 38,000 in 2022
- Victoria burglaries down 5% to 22,000 in 2022
- Queensland thefts 150,000 in 2022
- WA property crimes 65,000 in 2022
- SA break and enters 12,000 in 2022
- Tasmania thefts 8,000 in 2022
- NT property theft rate high 5,000 per 100k 2022
- ACT motor thefts 1,200 in 2022
- Unlawful entry with intent burglaries 70% of property crime 2022
- Retail thefts 120,000 incidents 2022
- Bike thefts 25,000 nationally 2022
- Property crime clearance rate 15% average 2022
- Residential burglaries 55% of total 2022
- Commercial burglaries down 10% 2022
- NSW theft rate 2,500 per 100k 2022
- Victoria theft rate 2,000 per 100k 2022
- QLD theft rate 2,700 per 100k 2022
- WA theft rate 2,300 per 100k 2022
- SA theft rate 2,100 per 100k 2022
- TAS theft rate 1,400 per 100k 2022
- NT theft rate 8,000 per 100k 2022
- ACT theft rate 1,800 per 100k 2022
- Property crimes overall down 3% 2021-2022 except vehicles
- Robbery victims 16,845 in Australia 2022
Property Crimes Interpretation
While Australia's overall property crime dipped slightly, the alarming 23% surge in car thefts and a dismal 15% clearance rate suggest criminals have upgraded their business model to a drive-away service with remarkably low risk of prosecution.
Sexual Offences
- Australia sexual assault victims: 35,971 in 2022
- Sexual assault rate 138 per 100,000 in 2022
- NSW sexual assaults: 9,500 in 2022
- Victoria sexual assaults up 15% to 6,800 in 2022
- Queensland sexual assaults: 5,200 in 2022
- WA sexual assaults: 2,900 in 2022
- SA sexual assaults: 1,800 in 2022
- Tasmania sexual assaults: 450 in 2022
- NT sexual assaults: 650 rate 250 per 100k 2022
- ACT sexual assaults: 350 in 2022
- Female sexual assault victims 85% of total 2022
- Child sexual assault victims under 18: 60% in 2022
- Unlawful sexual intercourse victims: 12,000 in 2022
- Sexual assault reporting rate low at 15-20%
- Family sexual assaults: 25% of cases 2022
- Sexual assault rate females 240 per 100k 2022
- Acquaintance perpetrators 70% in sexual assaults 2022
- Sexual assaults in residential locations 45% 2022
- NSW sexual assault rate 110 per 100k 2022
- Victoria sexual assault rate 110 per 100k 2022
- QLD sexual assault rate 90 per 100k 2022
- WA sexual assault rate 110 per 100k 2022
- SA sexual assault rate 100 per 100k 2022
- TAS sexual assault rate 80 per 100k 2022
- NT sexual assault rate 250 per 100k 2022
- ACT sexual assault rate 80 per 100k 2022
- Sexual offences up 10% nationally 2021-2022
Sexual Offences Interpretation
The sobering reality is that over 35,000 Australians were victims of sexual assault in 2022, but this harrowing national figure is just the visible tip of an iceberg, as most survivors suffer in silence with only a fraction of these crimes ever reported.
Sources & References
- Reference 1ABSabs.gov.auVisit source
- Reference 2AICaic.gov.auVisit source
- Reference 3BOCSARbocsar.nsw.gov.auVisit source
- Reference 4CRIMESTATISTICScrimestatistics.vic.gov.auVisit source
- Reference 5POLICEpolice.qld.gov.auVisit source
- Reference 6POLICEpolice.wa.gov.auVisit source
- Reference 7POLICEpolice.sa.gov.auVisit source
- Reference 8POLICEpolice.tas.gov.auVisit source
- Reference 9PFESpfes.nt.gov.auVisit source
- Reference 10AFPafp.gov.auVisit source
- Reference 11CRIMINALLINTELLIGENCEcriminallintelligence.gov.auVisit source
- Reference 12ACCCaccc.gov.auVisit source
- Reference 13SCAMWATCHscamwatch.gov.auVisit source