Sydney and Melbourne are the insolvency hotspots
Economists and bankers have been saying that Australia's economic problems are concentrated in the mining states of Western Australia and Queensland but the official insolvency statistics tell a different story.According to the Australian Financial Services Authority, the number of debtors entering bankruptcy, debt agreements and personal insolvency agreements rose 17.3 per cent in greater Melbourne in the September quarter, compared with the June quarter.This was the biggest increase of any region in the country, with high levels of activity in Knox and Brimbank.Sydney was not far behind, with a 17 per cent increase in greater Sydney - particularly around Campbelltown, Merrylands and Guildford.The increase in the rest of Victoria during the quarter was 0.5 per cent, while in the rest of New South Wales there was a fall of 1.1 per cent.In Western Australia the increase in greater Perth was 10.5 per cent and in the rest of the state 10.4 per cent.In Queensland the increase in greater Brisbane was 5.9 per cent and in the rest of the state 3.8 per cent.In South Australia the increase in greater Adelaide was 6.6 per cent. In the rest of the state the number of debtors entering personal insolvency fell 19.5 per cent.In Tasmania the increase in greater Hobart was 10.1 per cent and in the rest of Tasmania the increase was 13.6 per cent.In the Northern Territory the increase in greater Darwin was 29.7 per cent, while in the rest of the territory there was a fall of 16.7 per cent.In the Australian Capital Territory the number of debtors entering personal insolvency fell two per cent.