Increased Australia immigration has driven Australia's population growth rate to 1.53%, the highest level in 18 years. Australia's population stood at 21,097,100 people as at September 2007.

Australia's net migration for the year to September 2007 was 179,100, the largest in Australia's history.

Australia also had 264,300 births - the highest number since records began 26 years ago. Natural increase (births less deaths) was 131,900 - the second largest increase in 13 years.

Over the past year population growth was fastest in Western Australia (2.35 per cent), followed by Queensland (2.21 per cent), Northern Territory (2.18 per cent), ACT (1.54 per cent), Victoria (1.52 per cent), NSW (1.04 per cent population growth) and South Australia (1.02 per cent) and Tasmania (0.81 per cent).