WA population growth strong but slowing

Western Australia led the nation in population growth in the 12 months to June 2014, but the state has experienced the slowest growth rate in eight years, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

At 2.2 per cent, the rate is down more than 1 percentage point from the previous corresponding period, driven by slowing overseas migration.

Population gains from migration were lower by nearly 20,000, a drop of nearly 40 per cent, the ABS said.

Nonetheless, overseas migration drove the majority of the population increase, with 32,270 people moving to WA.

Net interstate migration was also subdued, with WA only experiencing 1,000 more interstate arrivals than departures.

This has fallen substantially from a peak in March 2012 when around 3,400 people in the quarter moved from interstate.

WA now has a population of around 2,573,400, about 54,400 higher than the previous year.

Australian population growth was strong compared to other developed countries at 1.6 per cent, while the world average was 1.1 per cent.

Around 58 per cent of this was through overseas migration, while 42 per cent was contributed by natural increase.

The ABS estimates the national population will be 38 million by 2050.

India’s growth rate was double China, indicating that country is set to eclipse its Asian neighbour well before 2050.

Demographic change also continues, with the statistics showing the population continues to age.

"Over the last 20 years, this group (people aged 65 years and over) has grown by 65 per cent, more than double the rate of increase for the working age population and four times faster than children,” said ABS spokesperson Denise Carlton.

"Because of this, Australia's median age has increased by four years over the last 20 years, from 33.4 years in 1994 to 37.3 years in 2014,” she said.