Media Release: VICTORIA’S POPULATION GROWTH CONTINUES TO BE STRONG

FROM THE OFFICE OF THE TREASURER

DATE: Monday, September 24, 2007

VICTORIA’S POPULATION GROWTH CONTINUES TO BE STRONG

Victoria received a boost of more than 20,000 people in the March quarter, according to demographic figures released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics today.

Treasurer John Lenders said this made Victoria one of the most popular states to live, work and raise a family.

Mr Lenders said the figures showed the Brumby Government had the right policy settings in place to attract people from overseas.

“Through initiatives such as the skilled regional migration strategy and by having world class health and education systems, people are voting with their feet to make Victoria their home,” Mr Lenders said.

“Victoria continues to be a magnet for migrants with our share of national net overseas migration at 27.2 per cent over the quarter – well above Victoria’s total share of population at 24.8 per cent.

“Despite Victoria being a non resource based state during a global minerals boom, we continue to create high levels of new jobs, building approvals and grow our population base,” he said.

Highlights of the ABS Australian Demographic Statistics March Quarter 2007 include:

· Victoria’s population increased by 22,717 over the quarter and 74,431 over the year;

· Victoria had a natural increase (the number of births, less deaths) of 7,924

· Victoria’s population reached 5,188,136 persons at the end of the March quarter 2007 – an increase of 0.44 per cent over the quarter and 1.46 per cent over the year; and

· Net overseas migration contributed 15,484 persons to Victoria in the March quarter and 42,897 persons over the year.

Victoria was one of the strongest performers in population growth, with only resource rich Queensland achieving a greater increase in the number of people.