3301.0 - Births, Australia, 2016 Quality Declaration 
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 13/12/2017   
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STATES AND TERRITORIES


Victoria recorded the largest increase (9,324 or 12.7%) in the number of births registered in 2016. Some of the increases were due to a catch-up in processing lags. New South Wales recorded a decrease of 3,996 births (4.0%). The ABS is currently working with the NSW Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages to investigate the decline in birth registrations, noting that processing issues can impact on counts.

Births registered, States and Territories - 2015 and 2016
2015
2016
Change 2015-2016
no.
no.
no.
%
New South Wales(a)
100 079
96 083
-3 996
-4.0
Victoria(b)
73 568
82 892
9 324
12.7
Queensland
61 745
61 841
96
0.2
South Australia
19 587
19 772
185
0.9
Western Australia
35 135
35 429
294
0.8
Tasmania
5 680
5 968
288
5.1
Northern Territory
4 004
3 927
-77
-1.9
Australian Capital Territory
5 542
5 152
-390
-7.0
Australia(c)
305 377
311 104
5 727
1.9
(a) The ABS is currently working with the NSW Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages to investigate the decline in birth registrations, noting that processing issues can impact on counts.
(b) Some of the increases were due to a catch-up in processing lags.
(c) Includes Other Territories. Births registered on Norfolk Island from 1 July 2016 are included in this publication for the first time.

The Australian Capital Territory recorded the highest median ages of mothers and fathers (31.9 years and 33.8 years respectively), followed by Victoria (31.7 years for mothers and 33.7 years for fathers). The Northern Territory had the youngest mothers (29.6 years), followed by Tasmania (30.0 years). This order was reversed for the father's median age, with 32.1 years for Tasmania and 32.4 years for the Northern Territory. For all median age data, see the dataset Confinements, by nuptiality, by state from the Downloads tab.

In 2016, Tasmania recorded the highest TFR (1.95 babies per woman) closely followed by the Northern Territory (1.92 babies per woman), while the Australian Capital Territory recorded the lowest rate (1.55 babies per woman).


Graph Image for Total Fertility Rate, states and territories(a)

Footnote(s): (a) Births per woman.

Source(s): Births, Australia



Fertility rates were highest for women aged 30-34 years in all states and territories in 2016. For more information see the dataset Fertility, by age, by state from the Downloads tab.


Net reproductive rates, by state or territory of registration(a)
Year of registration
NSW
Vic.
Qld
SA
WA
Tas.
NT
ACT
Australia
2015
0.893
0.795
0.882
0.847
0.898
0.894
0.917
0.803
0.861
2016
0.841
0.872
0.885
0.839
0.893
0.942
0.901
0.751
0.864
(a) Daughters surviving to reproductive age, per woman.