Tiwi Islands Region

The Tiwi Islands Region is a local government area (LGA) of the Northern Territory, Australia. The LGA covers an area of 7,483 km2 and had an estimated population of 2,753 in June 2018, and is governed by the Tiwi Islands Regional Council, formerly Tiwi Islands Shire Council.

History
In October 2006 the Northern Territory Government announced the reform of local government areas. The intention of the reform was to improve and expand the delivery of services to towns and communities across the Northern Territory by establishing eleven new shires. The Tiwi Islands Shire Council was created on 1 July 2008 as were the remaining ten shires.

The Tiwi Islands Shire Council became the Tiwi Islands Regional Council under legislation passed by the Northern Territory Government in January 2014.

Description and governance
The local government area covers an area of 7,483 km2 and had an estimated population of 2,753 in June 2018.

The most recent council elections (which also elected the Mayor) were held on 10 September 2021. The current Mayor is Pirrawayingi Puruntatameri (an independent) and the current Deputy Mayor is Leslie Tungatalum (a member of the Country Liberal Party).

Wards
The Tiwi Islands Regional Council is divided into three wards: Bathurst, Milikapiti and Pirlangimpi. The council is governed by 12 councillors, six from Bathurst Ward and three each from the Milikapiti and Pirlangimpi Wards:

Localities and communities
Land within the Tiwi Islands Region was divided during 2007 into bounded areas for the purpose of creating an address for a property. The bounded areas are called "localities" with those localities associated with existing aboriginal communities being called "communities".

Localities

 * Tiwi Islands

Communities

 * Milikapiti
 * Pirlangimpi
 * Wurrumiyanga

Demographics
The demographics of the region are shown in the tables below.

Birthplace
Before 2016, all Tiwi Islanders who stated their country of birth were born in Australia. Between 2011 and 2016, however, over ten arrivals each from the Philippines, the United Kingdom and Fiji arrived in the islands.