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Population dynamics in Queensland

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journal contribution
posted on 2017-05-04, 05:37 authored by Barker, Ross, Taylor, Alison
Population growth in Queensland has been strong for the last 30 years, but has slowed in 2009 and 2010. There are three drivers of Queensland’s growth: natural increase, net overseas migration (NOM), and interstate migration. For most of the 30-year period interstate migration was the strongest factor. Currently, however, it is weak, while national increase has grown and NOM, though lower than in 2008, is still significant. Why has interstate migration fallen? New South Wales has been the main source of internal migrants, attracted by plentiful jobs, lower house prices, and by the Queensland lifestyle. But levels of job creation in Queensland have eased and the cost of housing has risen steeply, thus mitigating two of the three main incentives for making a long-distance move. Though NOM has also fallen since 2008 this was from a record level and numbers remain high. Many immigrants are temporary workers sponsored not so much by the mining industry as by employers in healthcare and construction. Others are New Zealanders who are disproportionately attracted to Queensland. Whatever happens to interstate migration NOM will almost certainly continue to be a key driver of Queensland’s population growth, as will natural increase. Copyright. Monash University and the author/s

History

Date originally published

2010

Source

People and Place, vol. 18, no. 4 (2010), p. 30-40. ISSN 1039-4788