Ideas on how to attract more people to SA?

[Queen Anne]

Someone better come up with an idea on how to attract but most importantly retain people in SA, because I was having a look at the latest ABS figures and we are haemorrhaging people to interstate migration; mostly young successful people I presume. Last year we had a net loss of 3800 people to other states. These figures are almost as bad as the dark days of the mid 90's. Even Tasmania is almost catching up to us with a strong improvement to their population growth (up to 0.8%). If there is any good news is that more international migrants are coming to SA (net gain of 13 601), the state has probably reached the 1.6 million milestone and the population growth rate for Adelaide increased from 1.0% in 2006 to 1.1% in 2007.

From the ABS:

Australia's population increases at fastest rate since 1988

Australia's population grew at its fastest rate since 1988 according to figures released today from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).

The population growth rate for Australia during 2007 was 1.6% (or 331,900 people), for a total of 21,181,000 people.

Western Australia and the Northern Territory recorded the fastest population growth at 2.4%, followed by Queensland, 2.3%, Victoria 1.6%, Australian Capital Territory 1.3%, New South Wales 1.1%, South Australia 1.0% and Tasmania 0.8%.

Net overseas migration contributed more than half the population increase (184,400 people or 56%), and natural increase (the excess of births over deaths) added a further 147,400 people (or 44%).

The overseas migration increase represents an average of over 1,100 immigrant arrivals and 620 departures per day.

Queensland and Western Australia continued as the leaders in interstate migration, gaining 25,600 and 3,800 people respectively from the other states.

The Northern Territory (860), the Australian Capital Territory (350) and Tasmania (290) also grew from interstate migration, while New South Wales (-24,000), South Australia (-3,800) and Victoria (-3,100) lost people.

As at 31 December 2007, the resident population for each state and territory was:
New South Wales 6,927,000;
Western Australia 2,131,000;
Victoria 5,246,000;
Tasmania 495,800;
Queensland 4,228,000;
Northern Territory 217,600;
South Australia 1,592,000;
Australian Capital Territory 340,800.

In addition to retaining our young people, I think we could also work on retaining international migrants. I have a feeling a fair number might come to SA because it is easier to get into, and then move on. Right or wrong, our lower wages and "backward" vibe seem to be major reasons for them to leave.

Admittedly, this is just my observations from what I have read on the internet, and not any statistics I have seen. It would be interesting to know just how many of our newer migrants are leaving for interstate. I have a feeling we would be distressed if we knew
Cheers, Caroline

[Will]

Interesting comment QA. Maybe what you have mentioned is the reason for our larger net interstate migration loss. Because I recall a few years ago before the current international migration scheme was announced the net losses due to interstate migration were decreasing. In fact I recall there was a quarter in 2005 when we had a net gain due to interstate migration. I think the net loss to interstate migration due to the number of 'native' South Australians leaving the state are probabaly remaining static or decreasing from the approximately 2000 or so that left in 04/05. The extra 1800 lost due to interstate migration may be international migrants who come here just because its easier and then leave once they are granted residency? It would be good to see the figures from the ABS broken down to see if such a phenomenon is occurring.

[Wayno]

I saw an article in "The Australian" today proposing that international students be given priority immigration status if they complete their degree in Australia. As it stands today they have to line up with everyone else (go to the end of the queue) and need to go through all the regular immigration rigors.

Seems this process should be streamlined - perhaps even started mid-way through their education (end of 3rd year maybe?). Any international students in this forum want to comment on this idea?

[AtD]

Will, just like to point out those figures are based on the 2006 Census and 2002 Census. Like most ABS products, it's incredibly precise, accurate and has great depth, but also out of date!

[skyliner]

Exactly. Due to the nature of taking a census and then producing results, significant time loss relevant to being still current info is made. (Sometimes up to a year or more). Their predictive figures especially err due to booms, depressions, shifts in industry, mineral discoveries, changes in technology etc etc. Adelaide has has a very poor population prediction, but as we know (with all our current info) this is changing and increasingly so.

I have found these statistical difficulties in tracking Mount Gambier's info as well.

Sens.Ad. site is the best place (IMO) to get to most recent collation of info overall due to articles etc presented.

ADELAIDE - TOWARDS A GREATER CITY SKYLINE

[Will]

Will, just like to point out those figures are based on the 2006 Census and 2002 Census. Like most ABS products, it's incredibly precise, accurate and has great depth, but also out of date!

Would this mean that in reality we may have higher or lower population growth?

And regarding young professionals leaving, I don't have figures to back up what I'm saying, only personal experiences.

Hopefully it is only my group of friends who are wanting to leave, but somehow I doubt that.

[AtD]

Would this mean that in reality we may have higher or lower population growth?

That's the point, we don't know, and won't know until 2010!

[Cruise]

Would this mean that in reality we may have higher or lower population growth?

That's the point, we don't know, and won't know until 2010!

what happens in 2010?

[AtD]

The next Census.

[Cruise]

The next Census.

sorry, i thought you meant when the next election happens then.......

[Wayno]

there will be a steady flow of indicative data before the next census in 2010. Mainly from industry stats & recruitment companies...

[Maximus]

^^^I made the comment about successful young people leaving the state, because I too am experiencing it. Most of my friends are completing their degrees this year or next and as such many conversations are being had about our careers post-uni. It terrifies me that out of my large group of friends only 2 or 3 have suggested they want to stay here. In fact one of my best friends is leaving in a fortnight .

I'm in exactly the same boat as you, Will. All 8 of my closest school friends (yes, every single one of them) have moved either interstate or overseas since finishing uni (although one of them has now returned). Whilst this used to make me incredibly angry and frustrated, I've now more or less come to accept that it's just a way of life these days. What I'm now more focussed on is whether they will all eventually return, which I think for at least half of them is probably a yes.

Yes Will unfortunately I feel that you are correct. From a first hand view I can tell you that young people are still leaving the state in droves. Having finished Uni 3 years ago, and with friend all in my age group I can tell you that I could name at least 20-30 people that I know who have left the state. Mind you these are all people with degrees who 'quote' 'dont want to waste their 20's in Adelaide'.

So, out of interest, where is it that they do plan to "waste their 20's"?

I myself am moving to London with my girlfriend in December for at least a year and more than likely moving to Melbourne permanatly after I return. I think Adelaide is a great little city that has plenty to offer, but lets face it for most 20 y.o it aint the most exciting place. Hate to say it but until Adelaide improves this mentality that it has little to offer for the younger generation, people will continue to get their degrees here and then piss off interstate or overseas where they can earn more money and enjoy a much more lively atmosphere. Sad, but true.

Snorkie, did you grow up in Adelaide or did you move here for school/uni? No offence intended, but from the way you talk I would guess it is the latter, in which case I would say we've done well just to keep you for as long as we have. You say it is a "mentality" that Adelaide has little to offer for the younger generation, which suggests to me you think that this is in fact false. However, your plan of action for the future, as well as what you are saying, suggest otherwise. Is it a mentality or is it actually true? If it's true, then by all means lets talk about what can be done to rectify it. But if it's just a mentality, then how do we rectify that? It's certainly not going to be fixed by everyone in their 20s just throwing their hands up in the air and pissing off elsewhere. It's a chicken and egg scenario, because Adelaide isn't going to have much to offer the younger generation if everyone in their 20s leaves the state, but those same people won't want to stay in the state if we don't have something to offer them. Suffice to say, I vehemently disagree with your statement that for most 20-year-olds Adelaide "ain't the most exciting place". I believe Adelaide, perhaps more than most places, is what you make of it. If you don't try to have fun in Adelaide, if you don't think it's exciting enough, then it won't be fun or exciting enough. But if you take full advantage of what our great city and state have to offer, then I (as a person in my 20s) believe Adelaide is as fun and exciting as anywhere else in the world.

[Jim]

I spoke to two recent immigrants last week and they had both spent about $70,000 to get here, made up of fees and the ridiculous procedure of having to leave the country every time you apply for a new visa. One made 5 trips before being permanently let in. Why someone from the UK has to go to New Zealand and come back defies logic. Let them in for free and spend there 70,000 on local stuff.

[silverfox]

Without providing incentives to attract corporate to set up offices/head offices, thereby bringing people, white collar workers, money, culture, retail other than bargin basement.... the city will remain a void especially for travellers from O/S and interstate. We simply do not offer anything different except the Central Markets when comparing to other major cities in Australia.
Sad but true. (classic case where all coffee food chains have to be red in Adelaide, and always as a chain, where is the one offs?, fair trade, organic..... for example!)

[Pat28]

Without providing incentives to attract corporate to set up offices/head offices, thereby bringing people, white collar workers, money, culture, retail other than bargin basement.... the city will remain a void especially for travellers from O/S and interstate. We simply do not offer anything different except the Central Markets when comparing to other major cities in Australia.
Sad but true. (classic case where all coffee food chains have to be red in Adelaide, and always as a chain, where is the one offs?, fair trade, organic..... for example!)

[note, this is a rant]
Righty, Adekaide habt nichts, nada, nothing to crash hot or outstandingly pernament attraction - dont say oh we have a park, a river, oh a lookout on a hill, a fat queen in a square or balls in a mall. What does Adelaide really have that it outstandlingly blazingly unique to attract people to SA. Oh they, we have festivals, oh we have wineries, oh we have beaches (so does the rest of this country), oh we have bike trails, oh we have other temporary fad like crap - festivals come and go or go bust and fail, so do wineries and beaches can be cold some days and Glenelg is absolute crap on a 10 degree day. There is nothing too too unique about Adelaide except it is a very big country town with crap transport in the middle of a paddock which has buildings falling down in it because some yuppie wants to walk their dog. Adelaide is a city that jumps up and down over a 1.3km Tram extension and holds $100,000 party to open it. Projects go over budget all the time, and we built a bridge over a boganville - whoppie, lets do something with balls, out there and unique and hope some flagnut doesnt harp on about AAA ratings.