MEDIA RELEASE
18 December 2014	Embargoed: 11.30 am (Canberra time)	180/2014

Population growth due to overseas migration has slowed in Queensland, Western Australia, the Northern Territory and the Australian Capital Territory in the year to June 2014, according to figures released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) today.

"Compared with last year, population gains from migration were lower by almost 20,000 people for WA or a drop of close to 40 per cent," said Denise Carlton from the ABS,

"Similarly, Queensland saw a fall of nearly 10,000 people or 24 per cent in its growth due to overseas migration, along with the Northern Territory, down 2,000 people or 40 per cent, and the Australian Capital Territory, down 700 people or 25 per cent.

"New South Wales and Victoria continued to experience growth in net overseas migration, adding 6,300 people in NSW and 2,300 people in Victoria.

"Although Western Australia continued to have the fastest overall population growth rate - 2.2 per cent in the year to June 2014 - it is down by more than one percentage point from the previous year and it is the state's lowest growth rate in eight years.

"The Northern Territory's growth rate also dropped from 2.8 per cent in June 2013 to just one per cent in 2014, partly due to a record net interstate migration loss", said Ms Carlton.

Australia's total population increased by 364,900 people to reach 23.5 million by the end of June 2014, for a growth rate of 1.6 per cent.

Natural increase contributed 152,200 people to Australia's population, made up of 300,900 births (3.3 per cent lower than the previous year) and 148,700 deaths (0.3 per cent lower than the previous year).

Overseas migration contributed 212,700 people to the population (9.7 per cent lower than the previous year), and accounted for 58 per cent of Australia's total population growth.

"Today's release also reveals how fast the number of people aged 65 years and over are growing," said Ms Carlton.

"Over the last 20 years, this group has grown by 65 per cent, more than double the rate of increase for the working age population and four times faster than children.

"Because of this, Australia's median age has increased by four years over the last 20 years, from 33.4 years in 1994 to 37.3 years in 2014.

"Tasmania remained our oldest state with a median age of 41.6 years, while the Northern Territory is the youngest with a median age of 31.8," said Ms Carlton.

Further information is available in Australian Demographic Statistics, June Quarter 2014 (cat. no. 3101.0).

For population estimates at the regional level, please see Regional Population Growth, Australia, 2012-13 (cat. no. 3218.0) and Population by Age and Sex, Regions of Australia, 2013 (cat. no. 3235.0), available for free download from www.abs.gov.au

	Population at end Jun qtr 2014	Change over previous year	Change over previous year
PRELIMINARY DATA	'000	'000	%
New South Wales	7 518.5	109.1	1.5
Victoria	5 841.7	106.7	1.9
Queensland	4 722.4	70.5	1.5
South Australia	1 685.7	15.2	0.9
Western Australia	2 573.4	54.4	2.2
Tasmania	514.8	1.7	0.3
Northern Territory	245.1	2.5	1.0
Australian Capital Territory	386.0	4.7	1.2
Australia (a)	23 490.7	364.9	1.6

(a) Includes Other Territories comprising Jervis Bay Territory, Christmas Island and the Cocos (Keeling) Islands.


Video: Take a look at the latest Demography video – Click to watch (available from 12:30pm today).
We appreciate your feedback on our videos and would love to hear from you: demography@abs.gov.au. The ABS Privacy Policy outlines how the ABS will handle any personal information that you provide to us.

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.