During the period from July 1, 1989, to June 30, 1996, there were 2,226 homicide incidents. These included 2,415 victims and 2,650 offenders. The proportion of male victims to female victims was 3:2, and the proportion of male offenders to female offenders was 9:1. Most offenders were males between the ages of 18 and 26. Homicides were more likely to occur in residential premises than in other locations, and were more likely to occur during the night and on weekends. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people were overrepresented among both homicide victims and offenders; for victims, the rate was seven times, and for offenders the rate was nine times that for Australia as a whole. Homicide was overwhelmingly intraracial. Homicide was most likely to be committed with a knife or by a physical assault; firearms accounted for just under one-quarter of all homicide deaths. One in three of all homicides was the result of an incident between friends and acquaintances; one in five of all homicides was the result of an incident between intimate partners. One in six of all homicides was the result of an incident that occurred between family members other than intimate partners. Strangers were responsible for one in six of all homicide incidents. 70 figures and 6 tables