WA’s population growth slows

Western Australia has maintained the country's fastest annual population growth rate of 2.9 per cent, however the rate of growth has slowed compared with last year’s figures. 

The Australian Bureau of Statistics said Australia’s population reached 23.32 million at the end of 2013, after adding 396,000 people in the year.

“This is equivalent to a growth rate of 1.7 per cent over the year, which is down from 1.8 per cent a year ago, but still well above the long-term average,” Housing Industry Association economist Geordan Murray said.

The natural increase in population (births minus deaths) added 160,357 people in 2013.

This was slightly lower than the previous year but still contributed 0.7 percentage points to the overall annual population growth. 

“Although Western Australia continues to have the country’s fastest population growth rate in 2013, it has dropped significantly from its high of 3.7 per cent in 2012,” ABS acting director of demography Phil Browning said. 

WA's population was about 2.5 million at the end of December 2013.

Net overseas migration slowed to 235,797 in 2013, accounting for 60 per cent of Australia’s total growth.

“Migration in WA appears to be mirroring a trajectory of resource sector investment,” Mr Murray said.

“Growth due to interstate migration has slowed markedly and growth due to overseas migration is also showing signs of moderating.” 

In other states and territories, the population grew by 1.9 per cent in Victoria. 1.7 per cent in Queensland, 0.9 per cent in South Australia, 0.3 per cent in Tasmania, 1.7 per cent in the Northern Territory, and 1.6 per cent in the ACT.