MEDIA RELEASE
27 March 2014	Embargoed: 11.30 am (Canberra time)	37/2014

Victoria gained more people from interstate migration than any other state or territory, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) today.

Denise Carlton, Director of Demography at the ABS said that annual net interstate migration added almost 7,000 people to the Victorian population in the year ending 30 September 2013. This is the highest net interstate migration gain for the state in over 30 years.

"This means that Victoria has now overtaken long-term leader Queensland and recent leader Western Australia in net interstate migration.

"Victoria's overall population increased by 110,500 people in the year ending 30 September 2013 which is a level of growth not seen since the high growth of 2009. This brings the state's population to 5.8 million people.

"Western Australia continues to have the fastest population growth rate, growing by 3.1 per cent, but it is slowing from its record high of 3.6 per cent in June 2012.

"Australia's total population increased by 405,400 people to reach 23.2 million in the year ending 30 September 2013, with a growth rate of 1.8 per cent which it has maintained for the last five quarters," said Ms Carlton.

Natural increase contributed 164,400 people to Australia's population in the year ending September 2013. This consisted of 310,600 births and 146,200 deaths. Net overseas migration contributed 241,000 to the population over the same period, accounting for 59 per cent of Australia's total growth.

	Population at end Sep qtr 2013	Change over previous year	Change over previous year
PRELIMINARY DATA	'000	'000	%
New South Wales	7 439.2	108.1	1.5
Victoria	5 768.6	110.5	2.0
Queensland	4 676.4	83.7	1.8
South Australia	1 674.7	15.3	0.9
Western Australia	2 535.7	76.3	3.1
Tasmania	513.4	1.2	0.2
Northern Territory	241.8	4.3	1.8
Australian Capital Territory	382.9	5.9	1.6
Australia (a)	23 235.8	405.4	1.8

(a) Includes Other Territories.

Video: The ABS is trialling a short and simple video presentation about the latest demography stats. The video gives an overview of how the population has changed in Australia and within the states and territories. You can view the video from 12:30pm today – Click to watch. Please have a look and tell us what you think: demography@abs.gov.au.

Further information is available in Australian Demographic Statistics, September Quarter 2013 (cat. no. 3101.0).

For population estimates at the regional level, please see Regional Population Growth, Australia, 2012 (cat. no. 3218.0) and Population by Age and Sex, Regions of Australia, 2012 (cat. no. 3235.0). Available for free download from www.abs.gov.au

Media Note:

• When reporting ABS data you must attribute the Australian Bureau of Statistics (or the ABS) as the source.
• Media requests and interviews - contact the ABS Communications Section on 1300 175 070.