3101.0 - Australian Demographic Statistics, Sep 2014 Quality Declaration 
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 26/03/2015   
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MAIN FEATURES COMMENTARY

ANNUAL POPULATION CHANGE - YEAR ENDING 30 SEPTEMBER 2014


AUSTRALIA: POPULATION AND GROWTH

The preliminary estimated resident population (ERP) of Australia at 30 September 2014 was 23,581,000 people. This reflects an increase of 354,600 people since 30 September 2013 and 90,300 people since 30 June 2014.

The annual population growth rate for the year ended 30 September 2014 was 1.5%.

ANNUAL POPULATION GROWTH RATE(a)(b), Australia
Graph: ANNUAL POPULATION GROWTH RATE(a)(b), Australia



COMPONENTS OF POPULATION CHANGE

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

The contribution to population growth for the year ended 30 September 2014 was higher from net overseas migration (57%) than from natural increase (43%).

COMPONENTS OF ANNUAL POPULATION GROWTH(a)(b), Australia
Graph: COMPONENTS OF ANNUAL POPULATION GROWTH(a)(b), Australia



Natural Increase

The preliminary estimated natural increase for the year ended 30 September 2014 was 150,700 people, a decrease of 8.5%, or 14,000 people, compared with natural increase for the year ended 30 September 2013 (164,800 people).

Births

The preliminary estimate of births for the year ended 30 September 2014 (303,000 births) decreased by 9,200 births from the year ended 30 September 2013 (312,200 births).

Deaths

The preliminary estimate of deaths for the year ended 30 September 2014 (152,300 deaths) increased by 4,800 deaths from the year ended 30 September 2013 (147,500 deaths).


Net Overseas Migration

For the year ended 30 September 2014, Australia's preliminary net overseas migration (NOM) estimate was 203,900 people. This was 12.8% (30,000 people) lower than the net overseas migration estimated for the year ended 30 September 2013 (233,900 people).

NOM arrivals decreased by 5.1% (25,800 people) between the years ended 30 September 2013 (507,700 people) and 30 September 2014 (481,900 people).

NOM departures increased by 1.5% (4,200 people) between the years ended 30 September 2013 (273,800 people) and 30 September 2014 (278,000 people).

The preliminary net overseas migration estimate for the September quarter 2014 (52,400 people) was 14.4% (8,800 people) lower than the estimate for the September quarter 2013 (61,200 people).


STATES AND TERRITORIES: POPULATION AND GROWTH

The estimated resident population for each state and territory at 30 September 2014 was as follows:
  • New South Wales 7,544,500;
  • Victoria 5,866,300;
  • Queensland 4,740,900;
  • South Australia 1,688,700;
  • Western Australia 2,589,100;
  • Tasmania 515,000;
  • Northern Territory 246,300; and
  • Australian Capital Territory 387,100.

All states and territories recorded positive population growth in the year ended 30 September 2014. Western Australia continued to record the fastest growth rate of all states and territories at 2.1%. Tasmania recorded the slowest growth rate at 0.3%.


COMPONENTS OF POPULATION CHANGE

At the state and territory level, population growth 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 30 September 2014, the proportion that each of these components contributed to population growth varied between the states and territories.

For the year ended 30 September 2014, natural increase was the major component of population change in Queensland, Tasmania and the Australian Capital Territory. Net overseas migration was the major component of population change in New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia and Western Australia. A net interstate migration loss was the largest component to population change in the Northern Territory. Net interstate migration losses were also recorded in all states and territories except for Victoria, Queensland and Western Australia.


Natural Increase

Births

Compared with the previous year, the total number of births registered for the year ended 30 September 2014 decreased in all states and territories except for Western Australia and the Northern Territory, which recorded increases in birth registrations of 1.3% and 0.8% respectively. The largest percentage decrease was recorded in New South Wales, decreasing by 4.8% (4,800 births). This was followed by Victoria (down 4.5%) and the Australian Capital Territory (down 3.5%). For more information, see table 13.

Deaths

The total number of deaths registered for the year ended 30 September 2014 increased in all states and territories. the Northern Territory recorded the largest increase at 6.9% (70 people). This was followed by New South Wales (down 3.7%) and Victoria (down 3.3%). For more information, see table 14.

Preliminary estimates of births and deaths are subject to fluctuations caused by lags or accumulations in the reporting of birth and death registrations (for more information see paragraphs 10-11 of the Explanatory Notes).


Net Overseas Migration

All states and territories recorded positive NOM for the year ending 30 September 2014. However, all states and territories recorded decreases in NOM when compared with the previous year. The largest percentage decrease in NOM was recorded in the Australian Capital Territory at 31.8% (800 people). This was followed by Western Australia, which decreased by 31.5% (14,800 people), and the Northern Territory which decreased by 23.9% (1,000 people). For more information, see table 16.

NOM arrivals

Compared with the previous year ended 30 September 2013, all states and territories recorded decreases in NOM arrivals. Western Australia recorded the largest percentage and numerical decrease at 15.1% (12,500 people). This was followed by Queensland at 9.9% (9,300 people) and the Northern Territory at 9.3% (800 people). For more information, see table 16.

NOM departures

Compared with the previous year ended 30 September 2013, the number of NOM departures increased in all states and territories except for New South Wales and Queensland, which recorded small decreases of 0.8% and 0.7% respectively. The largest percentage increase was recorded for Tasmania at 7.6% (180 people). This was followed by South Australia at 6.7% (800 people) and Western Australia at 6.5% (2,300 people). For more information, see table 16.


Net Interstate Migration

Victoria recorded the highest gains from net interstate migration (NIM) for the year ended 30 September 2014 (8,500 people), followed by Queensland (5,900 people) and Western Australia (300 people). Net losses from interstate migration were recorded in New South Wales (6,300 people), the Northern Territory (3,400 people), South Australia (2,900 people), the Australian Capital Territory (1,100 people), and Tasmania (1,000 people). For more information, see table 17.

INTERSTATE MIGRATION, Arrivals, Departures and Net - States and Territories - Year ending September 2014
Graph: INTERSTATE MIGRATION, Arrivals, Departures and Net—States and Territories—Year ending September 2014