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POPULATION GROWTH

• The preliminary estimated resident population for Western Australia was 2.2 million as at 31 March 2009, an increase of 0.9% from December 2008.
• Western Australia's quarterly population growth was the highest of all states and territories, followed closely by Victoria and Queensland (both up 0.7%). Nationally, the population grew 0.6% to 21.8 million persons.
• For the 12 months ending 31 March 2009, Western Australia recorded the largest percentage gain (3.1%), ahead of Queensland (2.6%), Northern Territory (2.2%) and Victoria (2.1%).
• In March quarter 2009, Western Australia recorded 7,600 births and 3,000 deaths, a natural increase of 4,600 persons.

1 Estimated Resident Population and Natural Increase
		ERP(a)	Natural Increase
		Total	Births	Deaths	Net increase(b)
Reference period		'000	'000	'000	'000
2008
	March	2 156.7	8.4	3.0	5.5
	June	2 171.2	8.1	3.1	5.0
	September	2 188.5	7.7	3.4	4.2
	December	2 204.0	7.6	3.2	4.4
2009
	March	2 224.3	7.6	3.0	4.6
(a) ERP data may be final, revised or preliminary at any point in time. See the 'ERP Data Status' section of the Notes in the source publication.
(b) Births minus deaths may not add to natural increase due to rounding.
Source: Australian Demographic Statistics, cat. no. 3101.0.

• In the year to March 2009, the principal component of population growth was net overseas migration, followed by natural increase. Net interstate migration formed a relatively small component of the growth.
• In the quarter ending 31 March 2009, an estimated 20,200 people were added to the Western Australian population through net overseas migration (14,300), natural increase (4,600) and net interstate migration accounted (1,300).

2 Components of population change
		Components of population growth
		Natural increase(a)	Net interstate migration	Net overseas migration(b)	Total population growth(c)
Reference period		'000	'000	'000	'000
2008
	March	5.5	1.7	11.4	18.6
	June	5.0	1.5	8.0	14.5
	September	4.2	1.6	11.4	17.3
	December	4.4	1.4	9.7	15.6
2009
	March	4.6	1.3	14.3	20.2
(a) Births minus deaths.
(b) Adjusted for category jumping.
(c) Differences between total growth and the sum of the components of population change prior to September quarter 2006 are due to intercensal discrepancy.
Source: Australian Demographic Statistics, cat. no. 3101.0.