Qld’s population pendulum is expected to swing to an even larger Brisbane

Federal Treasurer Jim Chalmers, whose Rankin constituency in Logan lies between Brisbane and the Gold Coast, addressed his home state’s appeal.

“Without a doubt, we live in the best part of the best country in the world,” he said.

“Each year more and more Australians realize what they are missing and move to Queensland.

“During the pandemic we saw strong demand from people in Sydney and Melbourne looking to relocate and that is not likely to stop for years to come.

“Queensland has become the undisputed capital for Australians looking for a sea change.”

Chalmers said while the pandemic has had a significant and lasting impact on Australia’s community and economy, there have been signs that population growth is “recovering”.

“A healthy, growing population is critical to creating a stronger and more prosperous economy,” he said.

“COVID-19 has highlighted how important the well-being of our workforce is to Australia’s economic prosperity.”

Migration was expected to account for the lion’s share of Queensland’s population growth. Overseas migration is expected to account for 32,000 new Queenslanders this fiscal year alone, while 30,600 should move off the highway.

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The state’s natural increase in population — the number of births per year minus the number of deaths — is projected to reach 27,800 in 2023-24 before falling to 22,500 by 2032-33.

Most of these births were expected in Brisbane, with an expected peak of 17,400 in 2023-24 and 15,500 in 2032-33.

The 2022 population declaration will be published in full on Friday.