Victoria leads nation’s population growth
•by: John Masanauskas
•From: Herald Sun
•December 19, 201212:01AM
Victoria’s population grew by almost 90,000 in 2011-12. Source: Supplied
Source: Herald Sun
VICTORIA had the largest population growth of any state in the past year, outstripping the mining boom states, a report says.
Our state’s population grew by almost 90,000 in 2011-12, compared to 86,000 for Queensland, NSW (79,000) and WA (78,000), according to the latest Australian Bureau of Statistics data.
Driven mainly by an increasing migrant intake, the nation added 360,000 people over the year for a population of 22.7 million as of June 30.
Victoria’s population was 5.6 million at the same time.
Although Victoria had the biggest annual increase in terms of numbers, its 1.6 per cent growth rate was lower than WA’s (3.3) and Queensland’s (1.9).
Net overseas migration to Australia is estimated to have reached 218,000 this month and is expected to climb above 240,000 within three years, a separate Immigration Department report says.
Higher student and humanitarian arrivals will account for most of the increase, The Outlook for Net Overseas Migration report says.
If net migration continues at such levels, the so-called Big Australia population of 36 million by 2050 will be easily reached.
This year was a milestone for the the baby boomers, with the first of them turning 65.
There were 250,000 people aged 65 as of June 30 this year – up 38,000 on the same day in 2011.
Victoria leads nation’s population growth