9309.0 - Motor Vehicle Census, Australia, 31 Jan 2012 Quality Declaration 
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 22/08/2012   
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This document was added or updated on 12/09/2012.

SUMMARY COMMENTARY


TOTAL NUMBER OF VEHICLES ON REGISTER

There were 16.7 million motor vehicles, including Motor cycles, registered in Australia for the 2012 Motor Vehicle Census (MVC). On an annual basis this is 2.3% higher than the number of registrations for 2011 and an increase of 13.3% since 2007, when there were 14.8 million vehicles registered in Australia. The average annual growth over this five-year period was 2.6%.

Type of vehicle-Census years 2007, 2011 and 2012

2007
2011
2012
Change 07/12
Change 11/12
Average annual growth 07/12
no.
no.
no.
%
%
%

Passenger vehicles
11 462 400
12 474 044
12 714 235
10.9
1.9
2.2
Campervans
43 266
50 653
52 600
21.6
3.8
4.1
Light commercial vehicles
2 189 559
2 530 630
2 617 799
19.6
3.4
3.8
Light rigid trucks
99 604
119 539
124 291
24.8
4.0
4.7
Heavy rigid trucks
294 887
318 223
322 115
9.2
1.2
1.8
Articulated trucks
74 444
85 965
87 995
18.2
2.4
3.5
Non-freight carrying vehicles
21 247
22 656
22 722
6.9
0.3
1.4
Buses
77 548
87 883
90 599
16.8
3.1
3.3
Motor cycles
511 966
678 790
709 288
38.5
4.5
7.0
Total motor vehicles
14 774 921
16 368 383
16 741 644
13.3
2.3
2.6



In the 5 years between the 2007 and 2012 MVC, the Passenger vehicle fleet has grown by 10.9% from 11.5 million to 12.7 million. Light rigid trucks and Motor cycles were the vehicle types showing the largest growth over this time, with increases of 24.8% and 38.5% respectively. Non-freight carrying vehicles had the smallest increase of 6.9% over the same period.

Type of vehicle, Percent change - Between census years 2007 and 2012
Graph: Type of vehicle, Percent change—Between census years 2007 and 2012


STATES AND TERRITORIES

New South Wales had the largest share of the Australian fleet in the 2012 MVC with 4.9 million vehicles or 29.1% of all registered vehicles. Victoria had the second largest share with 4.3 million (25.6%) followed by Queensland with 3.5 million vehicles (20.9%). The Northern Territory had the smallest share with 0.1 million (0.8%) registered vehicles. These shares are comparable with the distribution of the population across states and territories.

State of Registration-Census years 2007, 2011 and 2012

2007
2011
2012
Change 07/12
Change 11/12
Average annual growth 07/12
no.
no.
no.
%
%
%

New South Wales
4 361 237
4 778 421
4 869 996
11.7
1.9
2.3
Victoria
3 818 062
4 198 371
4 286 284
12.3
2.1
2.4
Queensland
3 033 417
3 401 932
3 492 311
15.1
2.7
3.0
South Australia
1 156 961
1 261 925
1 275 041
10.2
1.0
2.0
Western Australia
1 676 495
1 912 739
1 977 756
18.0
3.4
3.5
Tasmania
381 226
419 009
431 991
13.3
3.1
2.6
Northern Territory
118 178
137 082
141 101
19.4
2.9
3.7
Australian Capital Territory
229 345
258 904
267 164
16.5
3.2
3.2
Australia
14 774 921
16 368 383
16 741 644
13.3
2.3
2.6



The national increase in the number of registrations from 31 March 2007 to 31 January 2012 was 13.3%.

The Northern Territory had the largest growth (19.4)% with an annual average increase of 3.7%, followed by Western Australia (18%) with an annual average increase of 3.5%, the Australian Capital Territory (16.5%) with an annual average increase of 3.2%, and Queensland (15.1%) with an average annual increase of 3%.

In the same five year period, South Australia had the smallest growth in fleet size (10.2%) and an average annual increase of 2%.

Motor vehicle registrations, Percent change - Census years 2007 and 2012
Graph: Motor vehicle registrations, Percent change—Census years 2007 and 2012


VEHICLES AND RESIDENT POPULATION

In Australia there were 745 motor vehicles per 1,000 resident population in the 2012 MVC. This compares with 705 vehicles per 1,000 residents in 2007, an increase of 40 vehicles per 1,000 residents over this time.

Tasmania had the greatest number of vehicles per 1,000 residents of all states and territories in 2012 with 844, followed by Western Australia with 828. This is compared with 2007, when Western Australia had the highest rate of 800, followed by Tasmania with 774 vehicles per 1,000 residents.

The Northern Territory had the lowest rate with 607 vehicles per 1,000 residents. New South Wales, which had the largest vehicle fleet at 31 January 2012 and the largest population at 31 December 2011, averaged 672 vehicles per 1,000 residents, the second lowest of all states or territories.

Motor vehicle fleet by population(a), State/territory of registration
Graph: Motor vehicle fleet by population(a), State/territory of registration



AVERAGE AGE OF THE FLEET

For 2012, the average age of all vehicles registered in Australia was 10.0 years for the third consecutive MVC, and the same as 2007. Over this five-year period, Campervans, Light rigid trucks, Heavy rigid trucks and Buses recorded a decrease in the average age. Campervans showed the largest decrease in average age, by 1 year, followed by Light rigid trucks by 0.3 years, Buses by 0.2 years and Heavy rigid trucks by 0.1 years. Over the same period, Light commercial vehicles increased by 0.6 years.

Estimated Average Vehicle Age(a) of vehicle fleet(b)
Graph: Estimated Average Vehicle Age(a) of vehicle fleet(b)


TYPE OF FUEL

For the 2012 MVC, 13.6 million vehicles in Australia (81.1% of the total vehicle fleet) were registered with a fuel type of petrol. This compares with the 12.7 million vehicles registered in 2007, when 86.3% of registrations were in this category.

The number of vehicles registered with diesel fuel in 2012 accounted for 15.9% (or 2.7 million vehicles) of the total fleet compared with 11.2% of vehicles in 2007.

Motor vehicle fleet, Type of fuel(a)
Graph: Motor vehicle fleet, Type of fuel(a)


Greater numbers of Passenger vehicles and Light commercial vehicles registered with diesel fuel were the major contributors to this increase. While the number of Passenger vehicle registrations increased by 10.9% between the 2007 and 2012, the number of Passenger vehicles registered with diesel fuel increased by 103.1%.

Over the same period, Light commercial vehicle registrations in 2012 with diesel fuel have increased by 65.2%.


CHARACTERISTICS OF THE FLEET

Passenger vehicles accounted for 75.9% of all vehicles registered in Australia for the 2012 MVC, down from 77.6% in 2007. Queensland, Western Australia, Northern Territory and the Australian Capital Territory recorded increases in the proportion of Passenger vehicles over this time. In the same period, New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania have recorded decreases. This decrease has been offset by increases in the proportion of Light commercial vehicles and Motor cycles in these states.

Light commercial vehicles accounted for 15.6% of all vehicles registered in Australia for 2012, the second highest proportion behind passenger vehicles. Since 2007, the Australian Capital Territory had largest percentage growth (27.2%), followed by the Northern Territory (25.3%) and Western Australia (23.9%). New South Wales had the smallest growth (15.9%).

Motor cycles accounted for 4.2% of all vehicles registered in Australia for the 2012 MVC, up from 3.5% in 2007. Western Australia recorded the largest percentage increase (57.6%), followed by the Australian Capital Territory (47.8%).

Rigid trucks accounted for 2.7% of the total number of vehicles registered in 2012 and 2007. Registrations of Rigid trucks with a gross vehicle mass (GVM) greater than 20 tonnes have increased by 22.3% since 2007, while registrations of Rigid trucks with a GVM of 20 tonnes or less have increased by 11.1% over the same period.

For the 2012 MVC, Articulated trucks only accounted for 0.5% of the total number of registered vehicles in Australia. From 2007 to 2012, the number of registrations of Articulated trucks with a GCM over 20 to 40 tonnes has decreased by 26.4%, while the number of Articulated trucks with GCM over 60 to 100 tonnes and greater than 100 tonnes has increased by 31% and 49% respectively.

NOTES


ABOUT THIS PUBLICATION

This publication presents statistics relating to vehicles which were registered at 31 January 2012 with a motor vehicle registration authority. Motor vehicle registration statistics reflect the information as recorded in registration documents.

Statistics are provided on vehicle types comprising passenger vehicles, campervans, light commercial vehicles, trucks, buses and motorcycles. Vehicle characteristic information includes make of vehicle, year of manufacture, type of fuel that the vehicle was registered as using, and Gross Vehicle Mass or Gross Combination Mass for trucks. The size of the motor vehicle fleet is also compared with the estimated resident population.


INQUIRIES

For further information about these and related statistics, contact the National Information and Referral Service on 1300 135 070.