AUSTRALIAN IMMIGRATION NEWS

Migrants and babies fuel population growth

Wednesday, 28 March 2007

The increasing number of newborn babies and migrants have driven Australia’s population growth to its highest level in five years, fuelling economic growth and generating expansion in Australia’s research-rich states.

The increase is fuelled by the largest migrant intake in 17 years and is expected to drive increased consumer spending as well as contribute to the recovery in the battered housing industry.

Australia's resource rich states continued to grow well above the national average in the September quarter.

Victoria, where job growth is on the significant increase, attracted 70,000 new settlers to reach an annual rate of increase of 1.4%, its highest annual rate in 17 years.

Western Australia added more than 41,000 people to its growing population in the year to the September quarter, researching an annual growth rate of more than 2%, its strongest result in 16 years.

Queensland which gained more than 75,000 people over the same period, expanded at an annual rate of 1.9%.

New South Wales, which lost 24,500 people to other states in the 12 months to September, grew by almost 60,000 people in the period to achieve annual growth of 0.9%.

Immigration to Australia accounted for 54% of the population growth in the year to September 30th.

The significant growth supports the migration programme which is set on increasing the population as well as helping ease the skills crises in the Australian economy.