Fresh ABS data showed a strong trend of net interstate migration away from NSW, with the quarter ending in March 2022 seeing the biggest exodus from NSW with a net result of 40,057, mostly to Queensland and WA, said Tom Forrest, Urban Taskforce Australia CEO.
The table below showed the data from ABS:
|
NSW population net migration to other states in Australia |
|
|---|---|
|
12 Months up till |
Net result |
|
March 2012 |
-17,657 |
|
March 2013 |
-15,699 |
|
March 2014 |
-8,552 |
|
March 2015 |
-6,287 |
|
March 2016 |
-10,503 |
|
March 2017 |
-14,166 |
|
March 2018 |
-20,506 |
|
March 2019 |
-21,995 |
|
March 2020 |
-22,301 |
|
March 2021 |
-18,317 |
|
March 2022 |
-40,057 |
“The lack of supply and the cost of housing has become a critical factor in NSW and this is forcing people to make the tough decision to move interstate,” Forrest said. “While there has always been migration out of NSW as the majority of migrants first settle in this state, the data above shows that the exodus has grown over time before exploding in the most recent quarterly results.”
The Urban Taskforce chief said the housing supply crisis “is forcing the best and brightest young Australians” to leave NSW.
“We are also losing skilled migrants to other jurisdictions,” Forrest said. “The housing supply crisis is having a real impact. The challenge for the NSW Planning system, the minister for Planning, the minister for Cities, the premier, and the treasurer, is what is going to be done to fix the problem?”
He stressed that housing supply be restored to be the over-riding imperative in decision-making on development assessments, as new housing will bring a massive public benefit.
