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STATE STORIES

RECORD GROWTH FOR THE HARBOUR CITY

For the first time on record, Sydney’s population grew by more than 100,000 people in one year, according to data released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).

Sydney's population hit 5.1 million at June 2017, an increase of 101,600 people (2 per cent) since June 2016.

ABS Demography Director Anthony Grubb said that the latest population estimates were the first to include data on the components driving population change in Australia's capital cities and regions – natural increase (births minus deaths), internal and overseas migration.

“It is now possible to not only see how much population is changing in an area, but to understand why this change is occurring”, he said.

Net overseas migration was the major contributor to Sydney's population growth, adding 84,700 people in 2016-17.

Sydney's population boom would have been even greater if not for a net internal migration loss of 18,100 people, meaning more people left the city for other parts of Australia than arrived. Sydney lost most people to other parts of New South Wales (40,000 people) and Melbourne (14,400).

Most of Sydney's growth in 2016-17 occurred in the outer suburbs and around the city centre.

Cobbitty - Leppington, in the outer south-west, had the largest and fastest growth in the state, increasing by 4,100 people (22 per cent), ahead of Riverstone - Marsden Park in north-west Sydney, which grew by 3,800 people (21 per cent). Net internal migration was the main driver of growth for both of these areas in 2016-17, contributing to 90 per cent and 87 per cent of population change respectively.

The inner-city area of Waterloo - Beaconsfield had the next largest growth in 2016-17, increasing by 2,600 people (7.4 per cent). Around 68 per cent of this growth was due to net overseas migration.

MELBOURNE STILL LEADS THE WAY IN POPULATION GROWTH

Melbourne remains the capital city with the largest and fastest growth, according to data released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).

Melbourne's population increased by 125,400 people (2.7 per cent) in 2016-17 to reach 4.9 million.

ABS Demography Director Anthony Grubb said that the latest population estimates were the first to include data on the components driving population change in Australia's capital cities and regions – natural increase (births minus deaths), internal and overseas migration.

“It is now possible to not only see how much population is changing in an area, but to understand why this change is occurring”, he said.

Net overseas migration was the major contributor to population growth in Melbourne, adding 80,000 people in 2016-17 (64 per cent of total population change). Natural increase contributed 29 per cent, while net internal migration accounted for 7.3 per cent of population growth.

Most of Melbourne's growth in 2016-17 occurred in the outer suburbs and around the city centre.

Cranbourne East, in the outer south-east, had the largest growth, not only in Victoria but in Australia, increasing by 7,300 people (27 per cent) in 2016-17. Net internal migration accounted for 85 per cent of this growth.

The inner-city area of Melbourne experienced the second largest growth in Australia in 2016-17, increasing by 4,600 people (11 per cent). The major driver of this growth was net overseas migration, which accounted for over three-quarters of population change.

BRISBANE PICKS UP THE PACE

Brisbane is back among Australia's fastest-growing cities, according to data released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).

Brisbane's population grew by 48,000 people in 2016-17 to reach 2.4 million - a 2 per cent increase since June 2016 - equal to Sydney and second only to Melbourne (2.7 per cent).

This was the fastest growth rate recorded for Brisbane since 2012-13.

ABS Demography Director Anthony Grubb said that the latest population estimates were the first to include data on the components driving population change in Australia's capital cities and regions – natural increase (births minus deaths), internal and overseas migration.

“It is now possible to not only see how much population is changing in an area, but to understand why this change is occurring”, he said.

In Brisbane, the contribution of each component to population growth was relatively even. Net overseas migration accounted for 38 per cent of population change in 2016-17, compared with 37 per cent from natural increase and 25 per cent from net internal migration.

The fastest and largest-growing area in Queensland in 2016-17 was Pimpama on the Gold Coast, which grew by 3,000 people (31 per cent). Net internal migration was the main driver of this growth, accounting for almost 90 per cent of population change in 2016-17.

Other areas to experience large growth included Jimboomba on the southern outskirts of Brisbane, and North Lakes - Mango Hill in the Moreton Bay region, north of the city (both increasing by 2,100 people). Large growth also occurred in Coomera on the Gold Coast and Springfield Lakes, a suburb of Ipswich (both having a population increase of 1,400 people).

ADELAIDE'S GROWTH RATE LOWEST IN MORE THAN A DECADE

Adelaide remains one of Australia's slowest-growing capital cities, according to data released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).

Adelaide's population increased by just 0.7 per cent in 2016-17, its lowest growth rate since 2003-04. Only Darwin experienced a slower growth rate (0.5 per cent).

ABS Demography Director Anthony Grubb said that the latest population estimates were the first to include data on the components driving population change in Australia's capital cities and regions – natural increase (births minus deaths), internal and overseas migration.

“It is now possible to not only see how much population is changing in an area, but to understand why this change is occurring”, he said.

Adelaide experienced a net internal migration loss of 5,500 people in 2016-17, meaning more people left the city for other parts of Australia than arrived. This negated the gain from natural increase (5,500 people), so total population growth corresponded to the gains from net overseas migration (9,600 people).

The outer-northern area of Munno Para West - Angle Vale was the fastest and largest-growing area in South Australia in 2016-17, increasing by 6.2 per cent (760 people). Around 69 per cent of this growth was due to net internal migration, while 28 per cent resulted from natural increase.

The inner city area of Adelaide was the second fastest-growing area in the state, increasing by 3.2 per cent in 2016-17, due largely to gains from net overseas migration.

PERTH NO LONGER THE GROWTH CAPITAL OF AUSTRALIA

Five years ago Perth was growing faster than any capital city in Australia, but new data shows a substantial slowdown in population growth, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).

In 2016-17, Perth's population grew by 21,100 people (1.0 per cent). This is roughly one-third of the increase experienced when growth peaked in 2011-12. In that year, Perth's population grew by 60,400 people (3.3 per cent).

Of all the capital cities, only Darwin (0.5 per cent) and Adelaide (0.7 per cent) had lower growth rates in 2016-17.

ABS Demography Director Anthony Grubb said that the latest population estimates were the first to include data on the components driving population change in Australia's capital cities and regions – natural increase (births minus deaths), internal and overseas migration.

“It is now possible to not only see how much population is changing in an area, but to understand why this change is occurring”, he said.

Natural increase was the major contributor to population growth in Perth, accounting for 16,300 of the 21,100 population increase in 2016-17. Net overseas migration contributed 11,700 people, while there was a net internal migration loss of 6,900 people, meaning more people left Perth for other parts of Australia than arrived.

Ellenbrook, in Perth's north-east, had the state's largest growth in 2016-17, increasing by 2,300 people, followed by Forrestdale - Harrisdale - Piara Waters (2,200 people) in the south-east, and the coastal area of Alkimos - Eglinton (2,100). Net internal migration was the main driver of population growth in these areas.

Alkimos - Eglinton was also the fastest-growing area in Western Australia, increasing by 25 per cent in 2016-17.

STEADY GROWTH CONTINUES IN HOBART

Hobart's recent trend of steady population growth is continuing, according to data released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).

In 2016-17, the population of Hobart increased by 2,400 people (1.1 per cent), compared with an increase of 1,200 (0.5 per cent) in 2011-12. It is the fifth consecutive year that the Tasmanian capital has recorded an increasing rate of population growth.

Hobart is now growing at a faster rate than Darwin (0.5 per cent), Adelaide (0.7 per cent) and Perth (1.0 per cent).

ABS Demography Director Anthony Grubb said that the latest population estimates were the first to include data on the components driving population change in Australia's capital cities and regions – natural increase (births minus deaths), internal and overseas migration.

“It is now possible to not only see how much population is changing in an area, but to understand why this change is occurring”, he said.

In Hobart, the contribution of each component to population growth was quite even. Net internal migration accounted for 36 per cent of population change in 2016-17, compared with 35 per cent from net overseas migration and 29 per cent from natural increase.

Old Beach - Otago was the fastest growing area in Tasmania in 2016-17, increasing by 3.2 per cent. This was followed by Brighton - Pontville (2.9 per cent) and Miandetta - Don (2.7 per cent) to the west of Devonport.

DARWIN RECORDS SLOWEST POPULATION GROWTH SINCE 2002-03

Darwin's population growth has slowed to its lowest level in more than a decade, according to data released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).

Darwin's population grew by just 700 people in 2016-17, an increase of 0.5 per cent. This is the lowest growth rate recorded since 2002-03, when the population declined by 0.2 per cent.

Darwin is now Australia's slowest growing capital city, just behind Adelaide (0.7 per cent) and Perth (1.0 per cent).

ABS Demography Director Anthony Grubb said that the latest population estimates were the first to include data on the components driving population change in Australia's capital cities and regions – natural increase (births minus deaths), internal and overseas migration.

“It is now possible to not only see how much population is changing in an area, but to understand why this change is occurring”, he said.

Darwin experienced a net internal migration loss of 1,900 people in 2016-17, meaning more people left the city for other parts of Australia than arrived. This negated the gain from natural increase (1,900 people), so total population growth corresponded to the gains from net overseas migration (700 people).

Palmerston - South was both the fastest and largest-growing area in the Northern Territory in 2016-17, increasing by 25 per cent (800 people). Around 83 per cent of this increase was the result of net internal migration, while 15 per cent resulted from natural increase.

Net internal migration was also the main driver of population change in Lyons, which was the second fastest and largest-growing area in the Territory, up by 10 per cent (520 people) in 2016-17.

ACT RANKS FOURTH IN POPULATION GROWTH

Although not in the league of Sydney, Melbourne or Brisbane, our nation's capital is growing faster than many of the country's more populated capital cities, according to data released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).

The population of the Australian Capital Territory (ACT), increased by 6,800 people in 2016-17, or 1.7 per cent. This was lower than Melbourne (2.7 per cent), Sydney and Brisbane (both 2 per cent), but higher than Hobart (1.1 per cent), Perth (1 per cent), Adelaide (0.7 per cent) and Darwin (0.5 per cent).

ABS Demography Director Anthony Grubb said that the latest population estimates were the first to include data on the components driving population change in Australia's capital cities and regions – natural increase (births minus deaths), internal and overseas migration.

“It is now possible to not only see how much population is changing in an area, but to understand why this change is occurring”, he said.

Natural increase was the major driver of population change in the ACT, accounting for 49 per cent of population change in 2016-17. Net overseas migration accounted for 41 per cent of growth, and net internal migration 10 per cent.

The newly-developed western suburbs of Canberra's Molonglo Valley were the fastest-growing areas of the ACT in 2016-17, led by Coombs (34 per cent increase) and Wright (15 per cent). Net internal migration was the major driver of population growth in these areas, contributing to around 90 per cent and 80 per cent of population change respectively.