3301.0 - Births, Australia, 2017 Quality Declaration 
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 11/12/2018   
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STATES AND TERRITORIES


The Australian Capital Territory recorded the largest increase (1,055 or 20.5%) in the number of births registered in 2017. Some of the increases were due to a catch-up in processing lags. New South Wales recorded an increase (508 births or 0.5 %), while all other jurisdictions recorded a decrease in registered births.

Births registered, States and Territories - 2016 and 2017

2016
2017
Change 2016-2017
no.
no.
no.
%

New South Wales
96 083
96 591
508
0.5
Victoria
82 892
82 094
-798
-1.0
Queensland
61 841
61 158
-683
-1.1
South Australia
19 772
19 072
-700
-3.5
Western Australia
35 429
34 498
-931
-2.6
Tasmania
5 968
5 610
-358
-6.0
Northern Territory
3 927
3 882
-45
-1.1
Australian Capital Territory (a)
5 152
6 207
1055
20.5
Australia(b)
311 104
309 142
-1 962
-0.6

(a) Some of the increases were due to a catch-up in processing lags. See Explanatory Note 33 for more information.
(b) Includes Other Territories. Births occurred on Norfolk Island from 1 July 2016 are included in this publication.

The Australian Capital Territory recorded the highest median ages of mothers and fathers (32.2 years and 34.1 years respectively), followed by Victoria (31.8 years for mothers and 33.8 years for fathers). The Northern Territory had the youngest mothers (29.8 years), followed by Tasmania (30.1 years). This order was reversed for the father's median age, with 32.1 years for Tasmania and 32.2 years for the Northern Territory. For all median age data, see the dataset Confinements, by nuptiality, by state from the Downloads tab.

In 2017, the Northern Territory recorded the highest TFR (1.91 babies per woman) closely followed by the Australian Capital Territory and Western Australia (both 1.83 babies per woman), while South Australia recorded the lowest rate (1.68 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 2017. For more information see the dataset Fertility, by age, by state from the Downloads tab.


Total Fertility Rates, states and territories

2007
2016
2017

New South Wales
1.999
1.743
1.708
Victoria
1.889
1.802
1.724
Queensland
2.129
1.824
1.772
South Australia
1.936
1.758
1.684
Western Australia
1.992
1.875
1.825
Tasmania
2.201
1.964
1.823
Northern Territory
2.273
1.938
1.909
Australian Capital Territory
1.749
1.551
1.833
Australia(a)
1.994
1.792
1.741

(a) Includes Other Territories. Births occurred on Norfolk Island from 1 July 2016 are included in this publication.


Net reproductive rates, by state or territory of registration(a)

Year of registration
NSW
Vic.
Qld
SA
WA
Tas.
NT
ACT
Australia

2016
0.843
0.873
0.887
0.840
0.893
0.950
0.910
0.747
0.865
2017
0.825
0.829
0.845
0.806
0.880
0.888
0.917
0.879
0.837

(a) Daughters surviving to reproductive age, per woman.