MEDIA RELEASE
March 29, 2007	Embargoed 11:30am (AEDT)	34/2007
Queensland still the place to move to: ABS

Queensland continued its 30 year run as the most popular place for Australians to move to, according to figures released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).

Queensland had an overall net increase in population of nearly 26,000 people during 2005-06 as a result of migration from other states and territories.

The net loss of people from New South Wales to other states continued.

A total of 342,500 Australians moved interstate in 2005-06, the lowest number since 1993-94.

People who moved interstate tended to be younger, with a median age of 28 years, compared with 37 years for all Australians.

Net overseas migration for 2005-06 was 134,600 people, making up just over half (51%) of Australia's total population growth for the year.

In the past two years South Australia has more than doubled its level of net overseas migration, from 4,300 people in 2003-04 to 9,500 people in 2005-06.

The United Kingdom and New Zealand remained the biggest sources of settlers to Australia, providing nearly a third (32%) of all permanent arrivals in 2005-06.

People born overseas make up almost a quarter (24%) of Australia's population. The United Kingdom (1.2 million people), New Zealand (476,700), Italy (220,500), China (203,100) and Viet Nam (180,400) are the most common countries of birth of overseas-born Australians.

Over the last ten years the number of Australians born in New Zealand, China, India, South Africa, Indonesia, Iraq and Sudan have increased significantly.

More details can be found in Migration, Australia, 2005-06 (cat. no. 3412.0)