July 28, 2026

Media Release - Closing YiSSA Will Put Lives at Risk

28 July 2026


Media Release

Closing YiSSA Will Put Lives at Risk — NT AOD Sector Sounds the Alarm


The Northern Territory’s peak body for Alcohol and Other Drug services is calling on the NT Government to urgently reconsider its decision to close a major Darwin homelessness shelter, leaving hundreds of Territorian children and adults without access to housing and crucial services. 


The Association of Alcohol and Other Drug Agencies NT (AADANT) said that the decision to not renew the lease at YiSSA Short-Stay Accommodation Centre would have dire consequences for Top End communities. 


“YiSSA is not just a roof over someone’s head, it’s a critical part of a system that engages people with services that make everyone safer and healthier.” AADANT CEO Stephanie Holmes said. 


“Housing instability is one of the biggest barriers to people engaging with and staying in AOD treatment. When someone does not have a safe and stable place to stay, treatment does not work. People cannot focus on recovery when they do not know where they will sleep. They disengage. They relapse. In the worst cases, they do not survive.”


Ms Holmes said that the Government cannot ignore the impact that removing transitional housing will have on many other services that will absorb this pressure without additional support. 


“Without YiSSA, our frontline AOD services lose a crucial avenue to provide support for a huge number of people struggling with complex health needs such as AOD dependency, mental ill-health, disability, domestic & family violence. This decision compounds and exacerbates these issues, pushing NT AOD and mental health facilities that are already operating at capacity to breaking point.” 


“The NT Government must recognise that housing and AOD treatment are not separate systems, they are interdependent and decisions that destabilise one will inevitably strain the other.”


AADANT is calling on the NT Government to:

  • Extend the transition timeline to allow for genuine planning and adequate alternative pathways to be established.
  • Commit additional funding to ensure no person currently supported by YiSSA is left without safe accommodation and appropriate support.
  • Engage meaningfully with the homelessness, AOD, health and community services sectors on a transition plan that reflects the true scale and complexity of what YiSSA does.
  • Honour its Closing the Gap commitments by ensuring decisions of this magnitude do not further disadvantage Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and families.


AADANT stands with Yilli Rreung Housing Aboriginal Corporation and all partners in advocating for the people who rely on YiSSA. We urge the NT Government to get back to the table before more harm is done.


Media enquiries:

Stephanie Holmes

Association of Alcohol and Other Drug Agencies NT (AADANT)

eo@aadant.org.au

(08) 8166 2446

NTG - Plan to tackle problem drinking

By Rita Francis • June 30, 2026
The Northern Territory continues to experience the highest levels of alcohol consumption, risky drinking, and alcohol-related harm in Australia. This contributes to significant health, social and community impacts, including hospitalisations, deaths, family and domestic violence, antisocial behaviour and crime. In response, a coordinated whole-of-community approach is needed to reduce harmful drinking, strengthen local controls, and improve safety across the Territory. This includes working with police, health and treatment services, Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations, local councils, community services and industry partners to deliver practical, place-based solutions. The focus is on reducing public drinking and antisocial behaviour, supporting services that address the underlying causes of alcohol-related harm, and building safer, stronger and more liveable communities for all Territorians. Click to download the Plan

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Launch- Homes Together Program (TSS)

By Peta Alderson • March 13, 2026
Yilli Rreung Housing is pleased to announce the launch of our Homes Together – Tenant Sustainability Service (TSS) Program. Please see below for more information about the program and the support they offer. For more information or to make a referral, please email TSS@yillihousing.com.au Click here for the referral form. Please complete and return via email.

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By Rita Francis • July 10, 2025
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Guide - Why language matters: A terminology guide when discussing substance use

By Rita Francis • July 9, 2025
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"Parent substance use and child-to-parent violence: A brief report"

By Rita Francis • July 9, 2025
This study titled “Parent substance use and child-to-parent violence: A brief report” investigated the association between parental substance use and substance involved child to parent violence (SU-CPV) i.e. the young person is influenced by a substance. They found parental alcohol use was associated with an increased likelihood of SU-CPV. They suggest parental behaviours may influence the young person's behaviour, and this may be exacerbated by the disinhibiting impact of alcohol and unpredictability within the home environment. They also discuss that parental alcohol use could be a coping strategy for parents experiencing SU-CPV. Access the report here - Parent substance use and child-to-parent violence: A brief report

Tobacco excise and illicit tobacco sales– what's the connection?

By Rita Francis • July 9, 2025
Tobacco use in Australia – including among young people - is at its lowest level in decades, largely due to effective public health strategies. However, a recent article in The Guardian suggests that the twice-yearly increases in tobacco excise may have reached the limit of their effectiveness. Rather than further reducing smoking rates, these ongoing tax increases may be contributing to the growth of the illicit tobacco market. The article examines the impactof continued excise increases and highlights the growing challenge posed by illicit tobacco sales in Australia, raising important questions about the future direct of tobacco control efforts. To read the full article, go to “Tobacco excise ha s passed a ‘tipping point’ and is fuelling black market, economists warn”
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