Personal bankruptcies up in WA, NT

Personal bankruptcies rose in the Northern Territory last financial year and also increased in Western Australia, although they fell across the rest of the nation.

Australian Financial Security Authority figures released on Monday showed total bankruptcies nationwide in 2014-15 fell by 7.7 per cent to 17,163 - the lowest number in 20 years.

But WA and the Northern Territory bucked the trend, with personal bankruptcies up by 19.3 per cent and 3.5 per cent respectively.