Baby Boom in Australia

Australia is having a baby boom. Figures released from the Australian Bureau of Statistics show there were 265,922 births in 2006 - the highest for 35 years. Australia’s population is expected to reach 21 million by the end of this month.

The Treasurer, Peter Costello, seized on the national birth bulge to repeat his three-child policy - “one for mum, one for dad and one for the country.”

The number of births, he said, was the highest since 1971 and the second highest in history, adding:

“This is a good thing because if we are able to increase the number of children and young people … this will actually help us cope with the ageing of the population.

“One reason for the rising birth rate was that people were confident about their prospects. Government policies to improve access to childcare, and the $4000 baby bonus, had produced ‘a very positive vote for Australia’s future’, making people confident to raise a family.”

Western Australia’s population grew at the fastest rate, 2.1 per cent, followed by Queensland on 2 per cent.

Population Increase
In Australia Over the Last 5 Years

State	Population Growth Rate (%)
Queensland	12.7
Western Australia	8.3
Victoria	6.7
Northern Territory	6.5
Australian Capital Territory	4.7
Tasmania	3.8
New South Wales	3.7
South Australia	3.7

Western Australia was the only state where net overseas migration was the largest component of population growth (52%).

Queensland was the only state where net interstate migration was the largest component of population growth. Tasmania was the only other state to have positive net interstate migration, adding 3,100 to its population.

Natural increase was the main component of population growth for the Northern Territory, Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales, Tasmania, South Australia and Victoria.