WA records fastest population growth again in year to September but experts warn of infrastructure woes

Western Australia’s rapid population growth is a double-edged sword, a leading demographer warns, as the State’s strong economy and lifestyle continues to draw people in. WA has again recorded the fastest population growth in the country, adding 72,600 people to its residents in the year to September 30. Australian Bureau of Statistics data released on Thursday shows the rate slowed slightly to 2.5 per cent, but that WA has had the fastest growth in the country since December 2022. The national population grew by 1.8 per cent, or 484,000 people in the year to September 2024. Demographer Bernard Salt said 2.5 per cent growth was “quite high”. “When the growth rate gets above 2 per cent per year then it does cause problems just in terms of the delivery of infrastructure and the delivery of services,” said Mr Salt, who is executive director of The Demographics Group. “There has been an extraordinary demographic event in Australia and in many other countries as well, with vast numbers of people leaving and now returning. It’s a question of how quickly we will settle back to a normal rate of growth.” Almost 9000 people moved to WA from interstate, while net overseas migration was 50,760. Nationally, net overseas migration ticked up in the September quarter after dropping significantly in the June quarter. Chamber of Commerce and Industry WA chief economist Aaron Morey said the rate of growth was down to the State’s strong economy. He said the focus now should be on ensuring infrastructure keeps up. “There absolutely needs to be a focus on ensuring that you’re opening up new areas for development, connecting the basics, the water, the electricity, the roads,” he said. “Governments know this and they will, and need, to continue to make sure that we’re opening up housing in particular because that is probably the main area of focus for ensuring that we can continue to bring in more people into the State.” Western Australia’s population officially sits at 2.98 million — but is widely expected to have already passed the 3 million mark — while Australia’s total population lifted to 27.3 million people. For many, coming to Australia is a choice based on the economy, way of life and even the pleasant weather. All three were on childcare centre worker Rose Donoghue’s mind when she visited Australia on a backpacking trip in 2016 from her English home town of Leamington Spa, about 160km north-west of London. Having lived in Brisbane and Sydney before finally settling in Perth in late 2024 she said Down Under is “much better than the UK in every way”. “It sounds silly, but weather has been a major factor ... I’ve just fallen in love with the consistency of the sunshine and weather which has a massive impact on people,” the 28-year-old said. “There’s so much more of an outdoor culture here; back home you don’t sit outside for dinner and you don’t really do anything outside ... even if you want to take the kids to the park, you’ve got to wrap up with a coat, there’s nothing appealing about it. “The work-life balance is shocking at the minute in the UK because the cost of living compared to your salaries is ridiculous. “It’s so much easier to rent and you have a better pay with a decent rent, which means you can actually live a nice lifestyle here, whereas at home, you struggle to get a job and to have enough money to afford a tiny shoebox.” Roger Cook said the latest figures were proof that WA was the greatest State to live in. “We know that people want to come live in Western Australia, it’s because we’ve got an amazing economy where this is an incredible place to live,” he said. “We want to welcome people to WA to be part of this great WA family at the great economic engine room powerhouse that we are. “But that obviously puts pressure on housing, it puts pressure on schools, it puts pressure on hospitals as people come and enjoy the benefits of living in our great community. “That’s why we invest so heavily in these infrastructures, these services to continue to make WA the greatest state in Australia to live.”