Sunday, August 05, 2007

Sydney's Sluggish Population Growth

In a stocktake post I still have to bring up but hope to do so soon, I list the posts on this blog concerned with New England's demography.

In the meantime, I was interested to see the census figures on Sydney's population growth. compared to other capital cities.

In an earlier post I queried the population assumptions built into the Sydney Government's planning strategy. This projected a annual population growth along the NSW coastal strip over the next twenty five years of 68,000, of whom 48,000 would be in Sydney. Based on current demographics, I simply could not see where the people were to come from.

If we look at the census period 96-01, Sydney's population grew by 247,136, or 49,427 per annum. So in this earlier period, Sydney growth was just above the 48,000 projection.

In the latest census period, 01-06, Sydney's population growth fell to 156,107, 31,221 per annum, well short of the 48,000 projection.

Part of the reason for Sydney's slower population growth is that all the other capital cities grew faster in the 01-06 census period than in the previous period, with Mebourne and Brisbane both growing more than Sydney in absolute numbers . The figures are:

  • Melbourne grew by 272,748 in the 01-06 period as compared to 188,347 in 96-01
  • Brisbane grew by 191,267 as compared to 128,330
  • Perth grew by 126,508 as compared to 97,910
  • Adelaide grew by 38,133 as compared to 29,549
  • Hobart grew by 8,284 as compared to 1,546.

This growth came in part from continuing net migration from Sydney.

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