Queensland sees biggest rise in resident population
The sharpest annual decline in resident population has occurred in Victoria, according to the latest data from the ABS.
The population growth in Victoria declined by -0.64%.
The number of people departing Victoria for other states and overseas is more than double the natural population growth over the past year.
“All other jurisdictions maintained positive population growth, albeit at just a fraction of their pre-COVID rate of growth," noted Nick Ward, HIA’s senior economist.
Population growth has fallen significantly, but remained positive: Qld (+0.85 per cent), WA (+0.57 per cent), NT (+0.48 per cent), ACT (+0.39 per cent), TAS (+0.39 per cent), SA (+15 per cent), NSW (+0.14%).
The ABS data is the compilation of the natural rate of population growth, overseas migration and interstate migration.
ABS demography director Beidar Cho said: Australia’s population grew by just over 0.1 per cent (35,700 people) to 25.7 million, in contrast to a growth of 1.5 per cent in the 2019 calendar year.
"This is the first full year of data reflecting the impacts of COVID-19 on Australia’s population,“ he advised, resulting from the Australian Government closure of the international border from 20 March 2020.
“Population growth has slowed as net overseas migration, previously a source of growth, has reversed and turned negative,” added Mr Ward.
Australia’s population growth has slowed to just 0.14% over the past year, the slowest rate of growth for more than 100 years,” Ward said.
“The loss of population growth is a concern for a number of reasons. Population growth is a key driver of economic growth.
“The loss of overseas students and skilled migration has almost certainly seen the average age of migrants increase and accelerated the ageing of the Australian population.