Tasmania has recorded another quarter of population loss due to people moving interstate, with a total of 5,472 residents leaving for the mainland over the past two and a half years – the tenth consecutive quarter of interstate losses.
New figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) show the state’s annual population growth has slowed to 0.3%, the lowest in the country and below the national average of 1.8%.
Shadow Treasurer Josh Willie says the numbers he believes are linked to the state government’s policies are a warning sign.
“Planeloads of working-aged Tasmanians are leaving every few days,” he said.
The data also shows Tasmania recorded more deaths than births during the quarter, only the second time this has occurred since records began in 1981.
“Our measly 0.3% annual population growth is only being propped up by overseas migration and if that was taken out of the equation, Tasmania’s population would be going backwards,” Willie added.
While Tasmania’s growth lags behind other states and territories, like the Northern Territory at 0.7%, Infrastructure Minister Kerry Vincent says it’s part of a natural correction after the population spike during the COVID years.
“You can grab numbers and make them say whatever you want, but if you look at it, we had enormous growth coming into Tasmania during COVID and I guess there’s a bit of levelling there,” he said.
He pointed to Tasmania’s low unemployment rate and continued investment in infrastructure as signs the state remains stable.
“I’m confident that this is just a slight change in the people movement in and out of Tasmania. We’re trying to build a Tasmania with positive things happening, not the negativity of a few people leaving,” Vincent said.
“There is always the opportunity for people to go and have careers outside the state but there is a great opportunity for them to come back in.”
“Back from my days in the construction industry where I saw a lot of people go to Queensland to work, most of those have come back into Tasmania and now have their families here and have got great careers.”
