Australia's population growth at lowest level in a decade: stats

Australia's population growth has slumped to its lowest level in a decade, figures released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) have revealed on Thursday.

Australia's population grew by 316,000 people, or 1.4 percent, in the year up to March 2015, but Denise Carlton from the ABS said it was the slowest rate of growth witnessed in almost 10 years.

"In the year to March 2015, Australia's population growth rate continued to slow from its peak in 2008-09 and is now just below the 20-year average growth rate," Carlton said in a statement on Thursday.

Carlton said a decrease in migration numbers had contributed to the net fall, with only two states recording a "net gain" from migration during the year ending in March 2015.

"Victoria and Queensland were the only states recording a net gain from interstate migration," Carlton said.

"Net overseas migration contributed 173,100 people to the population - 16 percent lower than (the year to March 2014)."

Victoria continues to be Australia's fastest growing state with a population increase of 1.7 percent compared to year to March 2015, while the Northern Territory recorded just a 0.2 percent growth rate - the lowest in Australia.

According to the ABS, a natural increase of 142,900 to Australia's population occurred, made up of 298,400 births and 155, 500 deaths - three percent lower and five percent higher respectively, compared to the previous year. Endi