Queensland population to boom as state leads migration race

More than 86,000 Australians are set to leave the southern states over the next 48 months in favour of the Queensland lifestyle. Here’s what it means for the state going forward.

More than 86,000 Australians are set to leave the southern states over the next four years in favour of Queensland’s sunshine, relaxed lifestyle and ‘robust economy’.

Interstate migration, which has become the key driver of population and economic growth during the pandemic, is set to benefit Queensland above any other state.

The Federal Government projects that over the next four years to 2023-24, Queensland will gain 86,000 residents – equivalent to the size of Bundaberg – from other states.

In contrast, New South Wales is expected to lose 65,400 while Victoria is tipped to gain just 4300.

Across the first nine months of 2020, despite pandemic lockdowns, more than 20,000 Australians moved to Queensland from other states.

In the September quarter, Queensland gained 7237 new residents, which almost matched the net losses from New South Wales and Victoria combined.

Treasurer and Investment Minister Cameron Dick said while COVID-19 had caused unprecedented disruption, Queensland’s interstate migration gave the state a “head start on the path out”.

Parents Julianna Borda and Juan Luengas with kids Paulina age 5, Agustin age 2 and Jeronimo Luengas age 6 have moved to Queensland from Perth. Pic, John Gass

“With the closure of international borders, interstate migration has become the key driver of population growth and economic growth in Australia,” he said.

“That means more retail sales, more economic activity, more construction projects and of course more jobs.

“These people are Queenslanders by choice – unsurprisingly they like what our state has to offer and they are voting with their feet and moving here.”

“They know they’re moving to a state with a great lifestyle and climate, strong regions and a robust economy.”

The search for new opportunities led design engineer Juan Luengas and his young family to move from Perth to Taringa in November.

Mr Luengas, 38, scored a job at Rheinmetall in Redbank working on the state’s Land 400 military vehicle contract.

“Due to COVID-19 my company started cutting wages and I was the only income for my family,” he said.

“We wanted to look for another opportunity and this one with Rheinmetall came up.”

“We had friends who lived in Brisbane and we heard good opinions and already we really like the city because it’s very family orientated.”

January’s Labour Force data reveals Queensland is the only state to have more jobs now than before the pandemic

Mr Dick said there were 29,700 more jobs in Queensland than before the pandemic.

“Ask anyone coming here for a holiday or moving here for a job – now, more than ever Queensland is the place to be,” he said.