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{{propApi.successMessage}} {{region}} Change locationWorkers are still leaving Sydney and Melbourne and heading north
Workers are still leaving Sydney and Melbourne and heading north
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“A slow return of overseas migration is easing the adverse impact of a loss of workers from Australia’s two largest states,” stated Tim Reardon, HIA’s Chief Economist.
“In 2021, more than 54,700 residents left NSW and Victoria as the COVID exodus to the regions continued. In the final quarter of 2021 however, the number of overseas arrivals more than offset this loss of inter-state migration.
“The loss of resident population in NSW and Victoria in the final quarter of 2021, has seen a growth of population in all other states and territories, except for the Northern Territory.
“Most notable, more than 50,000 new residents moved to Queensland in 2021.
“This remarkable ongoing shift in the location of the resident population has been a significant driver of the acute shortage of rental accommodation in Australia.
“With the return of overseas migration, Australia’s annual population growth has started to recover from the COVID shock with the resident population increasing by 0.50 per cent in 2021. This is compared to an average growth in the decade prior to COVID of 1.54 per cent.
“A stable and reliable migration pathway for skilled workers is central to a strong, and growing, national economy.
“The release of the initial 2021 Census data today also includes the number of unoccupied homes in Australia.
“Unoccupied dwellings have consistently made up around 10% of dwellings in Australia in the past 35 years.
“The 2021 Census shows that 10.1 per cent of dwellings were unoccupied on census night in 2021. The two main reasons for a dwelling being unoccupied were that it was a holiday home, or the residents were absent on Census night.
“This is not evidence of an under-utilisation of housing stock, but an indication that on any given night of the week, some households are on holiday,” concluded Mr Reardon.
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Victoria defies other states with an increase in new home sales
“Victoria saw a 7.1 per cent increase in new home sales in August, while the other four large states all declined,” stated HIA Senior Economist, Tom Devitt.
New home sales remain around three-year high
“The volume of new homes sold (contract-to-build) nationally decreased by 1.2 per cent in the month of August 2025,” stated HIA Senior Economist, Tom Devitt.
Senate Inquiry into Climate Risk Assessments
HIA took the opportunity to provide a submission to the Senate Inquiry into Climate Risk Assessments.
Housing the Regions
HIA provided the submission to an inquiry into creating sustainable economic growth in rural and regional Australia.