Aussie population set to top 23m
Phoebe WearneThe West Australian
Tue, 23 April 2013 8:34AM
When Australia's population hits a new milestone tonight, the 23rd millionth Australian could be a baby boy called Jack or a young working Brit named Chris.
As the Australian Bureau of Statistics' population clock ticks over to 23 million just before 8pm, someone will step off a plane or a baby will be born to hold the title.
WA, as the country's fastest-growing State with more than 1500 people arriving each week, may be at the centre of the action.
ABS figures show migrants make up 60 per cent of the population growth, with Britain accounting for one in five arrivals, while births contribute 40 per cent of the growth. If person number 23,000,000 is born in Australia, they are more likely to be a boy, with 105 males born for every 100 females.
Australia's population is growing by 1048 people every day, or by an extraordinary 1.7 per cent a year.
WA's population is growing at twice that rate, at 3.4 per cent a year.
The slowest growing State is Tasmania, with a population increase of 0.1 per cent or 500 people a year.
Births exceeded 300,000 a year for the first time in Australia's history last year. Using quarterly demographic updates to build on the 2011 census, the ABS says one Australian is born every minute and 44 seconds and one migrant arrives every two minutes and 19 seconds.
The population has doubled since 1966 when it was 11.5 million.
Demographer Mark McCrindle, of McCrindle Research, said today's population was an ageing one and more urbanised than before.
NSW had the highest rate of departure to other States.
"WA is just rocketing ahead," Mr McCrindle said. "People are going where the jobs are and where the economy is strong."
Sustainable Population Australia national president Jenny Goldie said the arrival of Australia's 23rd millionth person was no cause for celebration, with the population set to hit 100 million by 2100.
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