Sluggish population growth buoyed by foreign migration

South Australia’s population is growing at one of the slowest rates in the country, as close to a dozen people a day head for the horizon.

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South Australia is losing about 10 people a day to other parts of the nation, new figures show.

However, the state’s traditionally sluggish population growth is showing signs of improvement after growing by 14,800 people in the 12 months to March this year, buoyed by overseas migration.

New Australian Bureau of Statistics figures show the state’s population growth rate has jumped to 0.9 per cent, from 0.7 per cent last March.

But the growth is still the second slowest in the country behind the Northern Territory, which dropped its population by 0.4 per cent.

A State Government spokesman said there was a range of policies to increase population growth by ending the exodus interstate, attracting more skilled migrants and increasing the number of international students.

But Property Council SA executive director Daniel Gannon said the government had not made any “meaningful headway” on population growth, despite touting increasing population growth as its highest priority, linking growth in this area to bolstering the state’s economy.