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MARCH KEY FIGURES

	Population at end Mar qtr 2006	Change over previous year	Change over previous year
PRELIMINARY DATA	'000	'000	%
New South Wales	6 817.1	56.9	0.8
Victoria	5 078.5	65.7	1.3
Queensland	4 035.7	80.2	2.0
South Australia	1 552.3	11.9	0.8
Western Australia	2 042.8	38.6	1.9
Tasmania	488.7	3.6	0.7
Northern Territory	205.9	3.6	1.8
Australian Capital Territory	328.1	2.6	0.8
Australia(a)	20 551.9	263.2	1.3
(a) Includes Other Territories comprising Jervis Bay Territory, Christmas Island and the Cocos (Keeling) Islands.

Population growth, Quarterly

Population growth rate, Year ended current quarter

MARCH KEY POINTS


ESTIMATED RESIDENT POPULATION

• The preliminary estimated resident population of Australia at 31 March 2006 was 20,551,900 persons, an increase of 263,200 persons (1.3%) since 31 March 2005 and 75,600 persons since 31 December 2005.
• The natural increase recorded for the year ended 31 March 2006 (128,700) is an increase of 7.6% (or 9,100 persons) higher than the natural increase recorded for the year ended 31 March 2005 (119,500).
• Preliminary net overseas migration during the March quarter 2006 was 45,700 persons, a decrease of 2.9% (or 1,400 persons) on the March quarter 2005.

• The Australian population grew 0.4% during the March quarter 2006. Natural increase and net overseas migration contributed 40% and 60% respectively to this total population growth.
• All states and territories experienced positive population growth over the March quarter 2006. Western Australia recorded the largest percentage gain (0.6% or 11,800 persons).

ERP DATA STATUS

At any point in time this publication contains final, revised and preliminary ERP data. The status of the ERP data included in this issue is as follows:

• Final - All ERP data up to and including June quarter 2001
• Revised - ERP data from September quarter 2001 to June quarter 2005, inclusive
• Preliminary - ERP data from September quarter 2005 to March quarter 2006, inclusive.

• Natural increase using date of occurrence births and deaths data
• Net overseas migration using the migration adjustment based on actual traveller behaviour for permanent, long-term and short-term movements
• ERP figures using the revised natural increase and revised net overseas migration
• Total fertility rates in table 10 using revised births and revised ERP figures
• Standardised death rates in table 11 using revised deaths and revised ERP figures
• Infant mortality rates in table 12 using revised infant deaths and revised ERP figures.

• Births and deaths data adjustment:- Adjustments applied to December quarter 2005 births and deaths registrations in the previous issue have now been updated into their correct quarters. For details see paragraphs 10-13 of the Explanatory Notes.
• Interstate migration:- Interstate migration has been updated for December quarter 2005. For details see paragraphs 18-19 of the Explanatory Notes.
• Net overseas migration:- Data used for the calculation of net overseas migration, including permanent, long-term and short-term movements, has been updated for December quarter 2005. For details see paragraph 16 of the Explanatory Notes.

INQUIRIES

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

MAIN FEATURES


INTRODUCTION

The preliminary estimated resident population (ERP) of Australia at 31 March 2006 was 20,551,900 persons, an increase of 263,200 since 31 March 2005 and 75,600 persons since 31 December 2005. The population growth rate during the March 2006 quarter (0.4%) was consistent with levels recorded in previous quarters. For the year ended 31 March 2006, the population growth rate was 1.3%. This has varied between 1.1% and 1.3% over the last 6 years ending 31 March.

PRELIMINARY DATA

Due to the collection and estimation methods applied to produce preliminary statistics, users should exercise caution when analysing and interpreting the most recent annual and quarterly estimates for births, deaths and net overseas migration, particularly when making time series comparisons. For analysis of fertility trends over time the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) recommends users refer to Births, Australia (cat.no.3301.0) - see paragraph 7-9 of the Explanatory Notes for more detail. For an overview of the current method used for the measurement of net overseas migration see the Technical Note - Measuring Net Overseas Migration (page 40).

COMPONENTS OF POPULATION CHANGE -AUSTRALIA

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

Natural increase

Natural increase for the March quarter 2006 was 30,000 persons. This represents a decrease of 13.1% (or 4,500 persons) on the natural increase for the December quarter 2005. The natural increase recorded for the year ended 31 March 2006 (128,700 persons) is 7.6% (or 9,100 persons) higher than the natural increase for the year ended 31 March 2005. There were 62,100 births registered in the March quarter 2006, a 7.0% decrease on the figure for December quarter 2005 (66,700). Deaths decreased by 0.5% over the same period, removing 32,100 people from the Australian population.

Net overseas migration

For the March quarter 2006, net overseas migration (NOM) was 45,700 persons, a decrease of 2.9% (or 1,400 persons) on the March quarter 2005. For the year ended 31 March 2006, 449,600 permanent and long-term arrivals and 254,300 permanent and long-term departures combined with migration adjustment resulted in a net overseas migration estimate of 134,500 persons. This was a 14.0% increase on the year ending 31 March 2005 (118,000).

The ABS applies a number of adjustments to the overseas arrivals and departures data used to produce estimates of NOM. These mainly comprise adjustments designed to reflect differences between stated travel intentions and actual travel behaviour, but (in the case of revised NOM estimates) also include adjustments to transform numbers of overseas movements into numbers of travellers. These are collectively referred to as 'migration adjustments'. For more information see the Technical Note - Measuring Net Overseas Migration.

STATES AND TERRITORIES

Population

Populations for the states and territories at 31 March 2006 were as follows: New South Wales 6,817,100, Victoria 5,078,500, Queensland 4,035,700, South Australia 1,552,300, Western Australia 2,042,800, Tasmania 488,700, the Northern Territory 205,900 and the Australian Capital Territory 328,100.

Growth rates

All states and territories recorded positive population growth over the March 2006 quarter. Western Australia recorded the largest growth rate (0.6%), followed by Queensland (0.5%), Victoria and the Northern Territory (0.4%), South Australia (0.3%) and New South Wales, Tasmania and the Australian Capital Territory (0.2%).

Similarly, all states and territories recorded positive growth rates for the 12 months ended 31 March 2006. Queensland recorded the largest growth rate (2.0%) and Tasmania recorded the lowest (0.7%).

In the year ended 31 March 2006, the Victorian population grew by 1.3%, the largest percentage increase since the year ended 31 March 1989; Western Australia increased by 1.9%, the largest percentage growth since 1990; South Australia grew by 0.8%, the largest percentage increase since 1992; and the Northern Territory grew by 1.8%, the largest percentage increase since 1998.

COMPONENTS OF POPULATION CHANGE -STATES AND TERRITORIES

The growth of populations in the states and territories has three components: natural increase, net overseas migration and net interstate migration.

Although all states and territories experienced positive population growth in the year ended 31 March 2006, the impact and proportion of each component varied between the states and territories.

Population Components, Year ended 31 March - States and territories - 2006

Net overseas migration

Net overseas migration for the year ended 31 March 2006 was the major component of population growth in New South Wales (41,600 persons), Victoria (37,100 persons), Western Australia (21,000 persons) and South Australia (8,800 persons). Positive net overseas migration was experienced by all other states and territories.

Net interstate migration

For the year ended 31 March 2006, Queensland experienced the highest positive net interstate migration with an increase of 26,800 persons. Other states and territories to experience positive net interstate migration were Western Australia (2,600 persons), Tasmania (300 persons) and the Northern Territory (80 persons). Negative net interstate migration was experienced by New South Wales (-24,500 persons), South Australia (-2,700 persons), Victoria (-2,300 persons) and the Australian Capital Territory (-290 persons).

When compared to the same period of the previous year ended 31 March 2005, there was a decrease of 16,800 persons moving interstate within Australia. Queensland experienced a decrease in gaining from net interstate migration, whereas New South Wales, the Australian Capital Territory, South Australia and Victoria all experienced a decrease in their losses from net interstate migration. Western Australia, the Northern Territory and Tasmania all produced an increase in gaining population from net interstate migration.

NET INTERSTATE MIGRATION, States and territories