Australia’s fastest-growing states are revealed but one is on the nose with residents FLEEING in droves – so can you guess which one it is?
- Australia’s population grew by just 0.1 per according to latest ABS data
- There were 293,500 births and 162,500 deaths in the year to March
- Net overseas migration was down by 334,000 compared with the previous year
- The states hit hardest by the Covid-19 pandemic suffered the biggest drops
Australia’s population barely grew in the year to March due to the impact of international border closures on overseas migration.
The Australian Bureau of Statistics said Australia’s population grew by just 0.1 per cent, or 35,700 people, to 25.7 million, in contrast to the 1.5 per cent growth recorded in the 2019 calendar year.
The states hit hardest by the Covid-19 pandemic suffered the biggest drops in population growth.
Queensland’s population was 5,206,400, up 0.9 per cent, as many flocked to areas including the Gold Coast as it escaped the brunt of the coronavirus
New South Wales’ population recorded a 0.1 per cent growth in its population, taking it to 8,176,368
Victoria, where Melbourne is on track to be the most locked down city in the world, had 6,648,564 people – down 0.6 per cent.
Net overseas migration was the major contributing change to Victoria’s population.
NSW, which is slowly coming out of another state-wide lockdown, only recorded 0.1 per cent growth to take its population to 8,176,368.
Sydney is heading into suffering through its thirteenth week of lockdown.
Western Australia, who escaped the brunt of lockdown, experienced a 0.6 per cent increase in its population to 2,675,797.
South Australia, who recorded no new Covid cases on Wednesday saw in increase in population of 0.2 per cent taking its population to 1,771,703.
The states hit hardest by the Covid-19 pandemic, including Sydney (pictured), saw the biggest drops in population growth
South Australia saw an increase of 0.2 per cent to 1,771,703. The state recorded no new cases of Covid on Wednesday
‘This is the first full year of data reflecting the impacts of COVID-19 on Australia’s population,’ ABS demography director Beidar Cho said.
Net overseas migration was down by 334,000 people compared with the previous year.
This is a decline of 139.8 per cent since the previous year.
There were 293,500 births and 162,500 deaths in Australia during this period.
Queensland, on the other hand, recorded a 0.9 per cent surge in its population as it remained relatively unscathed from the virus.
With Melbourne on track to be the world’s most locked down city, a 0.6 per cent drop in population was recorded
While it has cut itself off from large swathes of the country, many have fled to the Sunshine State when borders have opened.
The resulting natural increase was down four per cent from the previous year and continues the trend of a gradual decline over the past five years, driven mainly by decreasing births.