March 18, 2009	Embargoed: 11.30 am (AEDT) 14/2009

Australia is continuing to record high population growth, according to figures released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).

A total population growth rate of 1.8% was recorded for the year ending September 2008, up from the 1.2% recorded five years ago. The last time Australia experienced higher growth rates was in the 50's and 60's (above 2%) as a result of post war migration and high birth rates.

As at 30 September 2008, Australia's population had grown to 21,542,000 an increase of 389,000 people over the previous year. Australia's net overseas migration contributed to more than half of this growth at 61% or 235,900 people. Natural increase (the excess of births over deaths) contributed 153,400 (39%).

In the same period, Western Australia continues to record the fastest population growth at 2.9%, followed by Queensland (2.5%), the Northern Territory (2.2%), Victoria (1.8%), the Australian Capital Territory (1.4%), New South Wales (1.3%), South Australia (1.1%) and Tasmania (0.9%).

Queensland and Western Australia received the most people from net interstate migration, gaining 22,700 and 5,600 people respectively from the other states and territories. The states that lost the most people to interstate migration include New South Wales (down 22,400), South Australia (down 4,700) and Victoria (down 2,400).

During September quarter 2008 the population of New South Wales reached 7 million. As at 30 September 2008, the population for each State and Territory was:
New South Wales 7,017,000; Western Australia 2,188,000;
Victoria 5,340,000; Tasmania 498,900;
Queensland 4,320,000; Northern Territory 221,100;
South Australia 1,608,000; Australian Capital Territory 346,400.

More details are available in Australian Demographic Statistics, September Quarter 2008 (cat. no. 3101.0). This issue includes revisions to 2006-07.