Brain drain from South Australia reverses again, ABS figures show

People are moving to South Australia in record numbers during the coronavirus pandemic, official figures show.

Premier Steven Marshall is hailing another increase in people moving to South Australia from interstate as the reversal in extremely difficult times of a long-running brain drain.

Internal migration figures released yesterday showed the lowest number of people leaving SA since 1983 – only 5100 moved interstate in the September quarter last year.

The latest Australian Bureau of Statistics figures show SA recorded a net interstate gain of 80 people, because 5200 people moved from interstate.

This followed another net gain of 100 people in the previous quarter, for which figures were released in December, when the so-called brain drain was reversed for the first time in almost 20 years.

That was the first time SA had a net gain from other states since September 2002, and just the second time since 1992.

Mr Marshall said the increase in net migration was further evidence that South Australians and those from other parts of the country believed the state was heading in the right direction.

“Our exceptional performance in containing COVID, accelerating industrial transformation and strong jobs growth has reversed the brain drain in the midst of extremely difficult times,” Mr Marshall said.

“South Australia is now the place to be to get a job, buy a house and raise a family.”

SA gained the most people from NSW (plus 160 in net terms) and lost most to Queensland (minus 160).

ABS weekly payroll jobs and wages data, also released on Tuesday, showed SA had the second-largest jobs increase, of 2.4 per cent, between January 2 and 16 – behind only Queensland at 2.8 per cent.

The encouraging data continued a trend during the coronavirus pandemic.

Since March 14 last year, SA payroll jobs have declined by just 2.4, second only to Western Australia’s decrease of 1.3 per cent.

Opposition treasury spokesman Stephen Mullighan said the figures were welcome but a temporary trend.

He expressed concern about deteriorating population growth, including in greater Adelaide, because of a lack of overseas migrants.

“Without further incentives to attract people to live in SA permanently, our state will continue to record low economic growth into the future,” Mr Mullighan said.