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TRENDS IN NET INTERSTATE MIGRATION (NIM)

There were an average of 366,300 interstate moves per year over the 10 years to June 2010, with the main movements being northward to Queensland. Table 5.2 shows that Queensland (25,900 persons), Western Australia (1,600 persons) and Tasmania (160 persons) were the only states to record average annual net interstate migration (NIM) gains over this period.

Over the decade ending June 2010, Queensland consistently recorded an annual NIM gain from the rest of the country. However, the gain in NIM has gradually declined since the 10 year peak in 2002-03, when Queensland gained 38,000 persons, to a 10 year low in 2009-10 with a net gain of 9,600 persons.

Western Australia recorded an average net gain in the past 10 years due to the gains recorded from 2003-04 onwards; gains which ranged between 2,000 persons in 2009-10 and 5,200 persons in 2006-07. In the first three years of the past decade, NIM losses ranging between 2,000 persons and 3,600 persons were recorded in Western Australia.

Tasmania's NIM fluctuated throughout the past decade with slightly more net gains than net losses. Tasmania experienced net losses in the first two years of the past decade. Since 2002-03, Tasmania has generally had more positive flows into the state.

The remaining states and territories recorded NIM losses with New South Wales recording the largest annual average net loss (23,700 persons) followed by South Australia (3,000 persons), the Northern Territory (640 persons), the Australian Capital Territory (200 persons) and Victoria (180 persons).

Both New South Wales and South Australia recorded a net loss from interstate migration, for each year in the past decade ending June 2010. For the Northern Territory, the Australian Capital Territory and Victoria, NIM fluctuated between annual net losses and net gains.

5.2 NET INTERSTATE MIGRATION - 2000-01 to 2009-10(a)
	NSW	Vic.	Qld	SA	WA	Tas.	NT	ACT
2000-01	-16 315	5 163	20 024	-2 418	-3 110	-2 136	-1 592	407
2001-02	-25 102	3 609	30 035	-1 308	-3 582	-1 423	-1 998	-197
2002-03	-32 467	-743	37 984	-1 191	-1 972	1 993	-2 768	-802
2003-04	-31 098	-3 051	35 498	-2 910	2 095	2 574	-1 487	-1 586
2004-05	-26 321	-3 070	30 371	-3 226	2 241	267	610	-842
2005-06	-25 576	-1 831	26 607	-2 711	3 933	-82	-553	258
2006-07	-27 404	-2 418	27 044	-3 658	5 188	-926	253	1 921
2007-08	-21 937	-2 736	23 088	-4 499	4 808	344	1 197	-265
2008-09	-19 831	698	18 388	-4 676	4 825	672	746	-822
2009-10	-10 540	2 555	9 576	-2 964	1 962	322	-842	-69
Annual average 2000-01 to 2009-10	-23 659	-182	25 862	-2 956	1 639	161	-643	-200
(a) Estimates for 2006-07 to 2009-10 are preliminary - see paragraphs 9-10 of the Explanatory Notes.