Western Australia has emerged as the fastest-growing state in the country, according to new data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). The state’s population has now exceeded 3 million residents, with immigration playing a significant role in this rapid expansion.
In the past year alone, net overseas migration, which measures the difference between arrivals and departures, brought 64,902 new residents to Western Australia. This influx accounted for nearly 75 percent of the state’s total population increase. Over the last 12 months, Western Australia’s population swelled by 90,000 people, representing a 3.1 percent growth rate—the highest of any state in the nation.
Following Western Australia, Victoria posted the second-highest growth rate at 2.7 percent, adding 184,000 new residents. Queensland experienced a 2.5 percent increase, while New South Wales saw a 2 percent rise. The Australian Capital Territory grew by 1.8 percent, with South Australia and Tasmania recording more modest increases of 1.5 percent and 0.4 percent, respectively.
Migration remained the key factor driving population growth across all states and territories, except for the Northern Territory, where births were the primary contributor to a 0.8 percent population increase.
On a national scale, Australia’s population grew by 2.3 percent, now exceeding 27 million people. The surge in population in Western Australia has sparked discussions about whether the state’s infrastructure is equipped to handle the demands of this rapid growth.
In response, Premier Roger Cook has outlined plans to mirror Queensland’s strategy by transforming more regional towns into key hubs and small cities, aiming to alleviate the pressure on urban centers and ensure sustainable development for the future. The focus will be on creating regional infrastructure to support new residents and encourage further economic growth in these emerging areas.
As Western Australia continues to grow at an unprecedented rate, the challenge remains in balancing population expansion with adequate infrastructure and resources to maintain the quality of life that residents have come to expect.
News sourced and summarised from 9News