3101.0 - Australian Demographic Statistics, Sep 2016 Quality Declaration 
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 23/03/2017   
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MAIN FEATURES COMMENTARY


ANNUAL POPULATION CHANGE - YEAR ENDING 30 SEPTEMBER 2016


AUSTRALIA: POPULATION AND GROWTH

The preliminary estimated resident population (ERP) of Australia at 30 September 2016 was 24,220,200 people. This is an increase of 348,700 people since 30 September 2015 and 91,300 people since 30 June 2016.

The annual population growth rate for the year ended 30 September 2016 was 1.5%.

ANNUAL POPULATION GROWTH RATE(a)(b), Australia
Graph: ANNUAL POPULATION GROWTH RATE(a)(b), Australia



COMPONENTS OF POPULATION CHANGE

The growth of Australia's population has two components: natural increase (the number of births minus the number of deaths) and net overseas migration (NOM).

The contribution to population growth for the year ended 30 September 2016 was higher from NOM (55.4%) than from natural increase (44.6%).

COMPONENTS OF ANNUAL POPULATION GROWTH(a)(b), Australia
Graph: COMPONENTS OF ANNUAL POPULATION GROWTH(a)(b), Australia



Natural Increase

The preliminary estimate of natural increase for the year ended 30 September 2016 was 155,500 people, an increase of 5.1%, or 7,500 people, compared with natural increase for the year ended 30 September 2015 (148,000 people).

Births

The preliminary estimate of births for the year ended 30 September 2016 (315,000 births) increased by 10,100 births from the year ended 30 September 2015 (304,900 births).

Deaths

The preliminary estimate of deaths for the year ended 30 September 2016 (159,500 deaths) increased by 2,600 deaths from the year ended 30 September 2015 (157,000 deaths).


Net Overseas Migration

For the year ended 30 September 2016, Australia's preliminary net overseas migration (NOM) estimate was 193,200 people. This was 8.9% (15,800 people) higher than the net overseas migration estimated for the year ended 30 September 2015 (177,400 people).

NOM arrivals increased by 3.6% (17,200 people) between the years ended 30 September 2015 (475,600 people) and 30 September 2016 (492,800 people).

NOM departures increased by 0.4% (1,300 people) between the years ended 30 September 2015 (298,200 people) and 30 September 2016 (299,600 people).

The preliminary NOM estimate for the September quarter 2016 (59,400 people) was 22.9% (11,100 people) higher than the estimate for the September quarter 2015 (48,300 people).


STATES AND TERRITORIES: POPULATION AND GROWTH

The preliminary ERP for each state and territory at 30 September 2016 was as follows:
  • New South Wales 7,757,800;
  • Victoria 6,100,900;
  • Queensland 4,860,400;
  • South Australia 1,710,800;
  • Western Australia 2,623,200;
  • Tasmania 519,800;
  • Northern Territory 245,700; and
  • Australian Capital Territory 398,300.

All states and territories recorded positive population growth in the year ended 30 September 2016. Victoria recorded the fastest growth rate of all states and territories at 2.1%. The Northern Territory recorded the slowest growth rate at 0.3%.


COMPONENTS OF POPULATION CHANGE

At the state and territory level, population growth has three components: natural increase, net overseas migration (NOM) and net interstate migration.

Although all states and territories experienced positive population growth in the year ended 30 September 2016, the proportion that each of these components contributed to population growth varied between the states and territories.

For the year ended 30 September 2016, natural increase was the major component of population change in Queensland, Western Australia, Tasmania, the Northern Territory and the Australian Capital Territory. NOM was the major component of population change in New South Wales, Victoria, and South Australia. Net interstate migration losses were recorded in all states and territories except Victoria, Queensland and the Australian Capital Territory.


Natural Increase

Births

Compared with the previous year, the total number of births registered for the year ended 30 September 2016 increased in all states and territories except the Northern Territory (down 2.1%).

The largest percentage increase was recorded in Victoria, increasing by 9.8% (7,400 births). This was followed by Tasmania (3.6%), the Australian Capital Territory (2.2%) and Western Australia (1.8%). For more information, see table 13.

Deaths

The total number of deaths registered for the year ended 30 September 2016 increased in all states and territories except the Northern Territory (down 5.4%) and South Australia (down 0.3%).

The Australian Capital Territory recorded the largest percentage increase at 10.7% (200 deaths). This was followed by Victoria (3.6%), Western Australia (2.6%), and New South Wales (1.2%). For more information, see table 14.

Preliminary estimates of births and deaths are subject to fluctuations caused by lags or accumulations in the reporting of birth and death registrations (for more information see paragraphs 11-12 of the Explanatory Notes).


Net Overseas Migration

All states and territories recorded positive NOM for the year ending 30 September 2016. Compared with the previous year, NOM increased in Queensland (up 19.0%), Victoria (up 12.8%), New South Wales (up 10.8%) and Tasmania (up 9.2%). All other states and territories recorded decreases in NOM when compared with the previous year. The largest percentage decrease in NOM was recorded in the Northern Territory at 38.1% (500 people). This was followed by the Australian Capital Territory which decreased by 23.7% (by 600 people) and South Australia which decreased by 12.0% (by 1,300 people). For more information, see table 16.

NOM arrivals

The number of NOM arrivals for the year ended 30 September 2016 increased in Victoria (up 8.7%), New South Wales (up 5.6%) and Tasmania (up 3.7%). The largest percentage decreases in NOM arrivals was recorded in the Northern Territory at 11.2% (700 people). This was followed by South Australia at 7.0% (1,600 people), the Australian Capital Territory at 5.5% (500 people) and Western Australia 4.2% (2,300 people). For more information, see table 16.

NOM departures

Compared with the previous year, the number of NOM departures for the year ended 30 September 2016 increased in Victoria (up 5.1%), the Australian Capital Territory (up 2.1%) and New South Wales (up 1.9%) and Tasmania (up 1.4%) . The largest percentage decrease was recorded in the Northern Territory at 4.8%. This was followed by Western Australia at 4.3% and Queensland at 3.1%. For more information, see table 16.


Net Interstate Migration

In the year ended 30 September 2016, only Victoria, Queensland and the Australian Capital Territory recorded net interstate migration gains. Victoria continued a recent trend of recording the highest net gain with 17,200 people, up from 11,200 people in the year ended 30 September 2015. This was followed by Queensland (13,000 people) and the Australian Capital Territory (100 people). Net losses from interstate migration were recorded in New South Wales (11,700 people), South Australia (6,500 people), Western Australia (9,200 people), Tasmania (less than 100 people) and the Northern Territory (2,800 people). For more information, see table 17.

Interstate Migration, Arrivals, Departures and Net - States and territories - year ending September 2016
Graph: Interstate Migration, Arrivals, Departures and Net—States and territories – year ending September 2016