Population Growth
WESTERN Australia's resident population increased by 1.7 per cent to 1.97 million in the four quarters to December 2003. This was the fastest annual population growth recorded since the year to June 1997. Net interstate migration was positive in both the September and December quarters, reversing the net outflow of the previous 17 quarters. Net overseas migration was 19,581 for the whole 2003 calendar year, the highest since 1988.
Australia-wide, the population rose by 1.3 per cent to reach 20 million through the year to December 2003. The number of Australian residents rose by 0.3 per cent between the September and December quarters.
Source: ABS Cat. 3101.0