DECEMBER KEY FIGURES

	Population at end Dec qtr 2007	Change over previous year	Change over previous year
PRELIMINARY DATA	'000	'000	%
New South Wales	6 927.0	72.9	1.1
Victoria	5 246.1	82.4	1.6
Queensland	4 228.3	96.9	2.3
South Australia	1 591.9	16.5	1.0
Western Australia	2 130.8	49.5	2.4
Tasmania	495.8	4.1	0.8
Northern Territory	217.6	5.0	2.4
Australian Capital Territory	340.8	4.5	1.3
Australia(a)	21 180.6	331.9	1.6
(a) Includes Other Territories comprising Jervis Bay Territory, Christmas Island and the Cocos (Keeling) Islands.

Population growth

Population Growth Rate, Year ended current quarter

DECEMBER KEY POINTS


ESTIMATED RESIDENT POPULATION

• The preliminary estimated resident population (ERP) of Australia at 31 December 2007 was 21,181,000 persons. This was an increase of 331,900 persons (1.6%) since 31 December 2006 and 84,700 persons since 30 September 2007.
• Preliminary natural increase recorded for the year ended 31 December 2007 (147,400) was 11.3% (or 15,000 persons) higher than the natural increase recorded for the year ended 31 December 2006 (132,400).
• Preliminary net overseas migration for the year ended 31 December 2007 was 184,400 persons.

POPULATION GROWTH RATES

• Australia's population grew by 1.6% during the 12 months ended 31 December 2007. Natural increase and net overseas migration contributed 44% and 56% respectively to this total population growth.
• All states and territories experienced positive population growth over the 12 months ended 31 December 2007. Western Australia and the Northern Territory recorded the largest percentage gains (2.4%) and Tasmania the smallest (0.8%).

NOTES

FORTHCOMING ISSUES

ISSUE (QUARTER)	Release Date
March 2008	24 September 2008
June 2008	2 December 2008
September 2008	18 March 2009
December 2008	4 June 2009
March 2009	22 September 2009

CHANGES IN THIS ISSUE

Data for 30 September 2001 to 30 June 2006 are final and based on the 2006 Census of Population and Housing. Data from the 30 September 2006 onwards are preliminary. For the current status refer to paragraph 7 of the Explanatory Notes.

Data for births, natural increase, total population growth and estimated resident population for the March, June and September quarters in 2007 have been revised in Victoria, and to a lesser extent New South Wales and other states and territories. This revision was due to the receipt of additional birth records from the Victorian Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages for 2007.


BIRTH REGISTRATIONS

The preliminary number of births in Queensland for the December quarter 2007 is higher than any December quarter in the last 25 years. Changes in procedures for processing birth registrations by the Queensland Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages has contributed to the increased number of birth registrations in the quarter for Queensland and Australia.

Further, amendments to the A New Tax System (Family Assistance) Act 1999 which took effect from 1 July 2007 requires the registration of, or application for registration of the birth of a child as a condition for applying for the Baby Bonus. The ABS will be analysing changes in the interval between the date of occurrence and the date of registration of births since this legislative change and reporting the results in Births, Australia, 2007 (cat. no. 3301.0) in October 2008.


UPCOMING RELEASES

Population by Age and Sex, Australian States and Territories, June 2002 to June 2007 (cat. no. 3201.0) will be released on 27 June 2008. This issue will contain final rebased estimated resident population (ERP) by age and sex for June 2002 though to June 2006 based on the 2006 Census.

The final 2006 estimates of resident populations for sub-state areas (Statistical Local Areas (SLAs) and Local Government Areas (LGAs)) for June 2002 through to June 2006 will be released on 19 August 2008 in data cubes which will be added to Regional Population Growth, Australia, 1996 to 2006 (cat. no. 3218.0). Preliminary population estimates for SLAs and LGAs as at June 2007 by sex and five-year age groups will also be released on 19 August 2008 in Population by Age and Sex, Regions of Australia, 2007 (cat. no. 3235.0).


INQUIRIES

For further information about these and related statistics, contact the National Information and Referral Service on 1300 135 070 or Diala Raad on Canberra (02) 6252 5640.