Australia's annual population growth rate stalled to 1.7 per cent in the year ending June 2010, according to preliminary figures released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). This is down from its peak growth rate of 2.2 per cent in the year ending June 2009 and is the lowest since the year ending March 2007.

Western Australia continued to record the fastest population growth rate at 2.2 per cent, followed by Queensland at 2 per cent, ABS said. Victoria and the Australian Capital Territory both climbed 1.8 per cent, New South Wales and the Northern Territory grew 1.5 per cent, South Australia by 1.2 per cent and Tasmania 0.9 per cent.

Australia's population reached 22,342,000 by the end of June 2010, growing by 377,100 people over the year. Net overseas migration accounted for 57 per cent of this growth, with the remaining 43 per cent due to natural increase (births minus deaths).

Net overseas migration continued to decline to the end of June 2010. The preliminary net overseas migration estimate of 32,300 people for the June quarter 2010 was 44.3 per cent lower than the 58,100 people of the June quarter 2009.

Based on preliminary figures, there were 302,200 births registered in the year ending June 2010, 1.7 per cent more than the previous year. The number of deaths registered over the same period was 140,600, 2.2 per cent fewer than the previous year.

Australia's median age, the age at which half the population is older and half is younger, increased by 4.8 years over the past 20 years, from 32.1 years at 30 June 1990 to 36.9 years in 2010.

Of all the states and territories, Tasmania recorded the highest median age at 39.9 years and the Northern Territory the lowest at 31.3 years by June 30, 2010.

During the same period, the proportion of children aged 0-14 years decreased by 3.1 percentage points. The proportion of people aged 15-64 years increased by 0.7 percentage points and the proportion of people aged 65 years and over by 2.4 percentage points.