Queensland again recorded the highest population growth rate in the country as it continues to benefit from residents leaving New South Wales and Victoria in the thousands.
Data released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics this month showed Queensland’s population grew by 1.8% in the year to March 31.
The Sunshine State added more than 92,000 new residents during the 12-month period, bringing its population to 5.296 million.
Western Australia recorded the second highest growth rate at 1.2% as the state’s population grew by more than 32,000 to reach 2.773 million.
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South Australia was third with a growth rate of 0.9%, followed by Tasmania (0.7%), ACT (0.7%), Victoria (0.6%), New South Wales (0.5%) and the Northern Territory (0.4%). .
Australia’s overall population increased by 0.9%, or 234,000, to 25,890,800.
Queensland’s population growth was driven by strong net interstate migration (arrivals minus departures) of 53,984.
Western Australia had the second highest number of net interstate migrations with 9,571, followed by South Australia with 673.
NSW saw a net decrease in interstate migration of 40,057, followed by Victoria (-17,997), Northern Territory (-3,330), ACT (-2,431) and Tasmania (-413).
However, New South Wales had the highest net overseas migration figure at 47,095, followed by Victoria (33,691), Queensland (11,981), South Australia (8,167) , Western Australia (2,634), Tasmania (2,518), ACT (1,817) and the North. Territory (1,669).
The reopening of international borders saw overseas arrivals increase by 183.1%, or 207,000 people during the 12-month reporting period, to 320,000.
“After two years of generally little or no population growth, overseas migration is again a significant contributor to Australia’s population growth, accounting for almost half of the growth in the year to March 2022. “, said Beidar Cho, director of demography of the ABS.
There were 210,400 people who emigrated from Australia in the year to March 31, an increase of 1.5% on the previous 12 months.
NSW had a natural increase (births minus deaths) of 42,502, then Victoria (30,789), Queensland (28,333), Western Australia (16,837), South Australia (4,915), ACT (3,329) , Northern Territory (2,520) and Tasmania (950).
Queensland also recorded the highest growth rate in the country in the year to 31 December 2021, at 1.4%, followed by Western Australia (1.1%), Tasmania (0 .8%), South Australia (0.5%), ACT (0.4%). percent), NSW (0.1 percent), Northern Territory (0.1 percent) and Victoria (-0.1 percent).