City’s growth defies setback

TOWNSVILLE has maintained its growth through the mining downturn and closure of Clive Palmer’s Yabulu nickel refinery, recording an estimated population increase to 193,601 in the year to June 2017.

The increase of 0.8 per cent, recorded by the Australian Bureau of Statistics, has been described as a reasonable result given the events which swept the city with the loss of 800 jobs at the refinery in early 2016.

The result compares with a 1.3 per cent increase to 164,536 at Cairns and a negative 0.5 per cent decline at Mackay, down to 117,064. The mining city of Mount Isa recorded a 2.2 per cent fall to 18,899.

Townsville economist Colin Dwyer said the city’s growth was a reasonable result but was an underperformance because of several factors hitting the economy and jobs.

He said it should also be remembered it was a rear- vision view looking at conditions in 2016- 17 which had since turned around.

“It’s an underperformance but an expected performance given the economic condi- tions,” Mr Dwyer said. “I’d expect the growth rate to have picked up above the 1 per cent mark in the current year based on the strong jobs growth and improvement in the ( property) vacancy rate.”

According to the ABS data, the city’s population growth has come from a net natural increase – or births over deaths – of 1502 and net overseas migration of 761.

The net internal migration was negative 720, indicating the loss of people and skills with the downturn in the mining industry, mineral processing and construction.

Of the regional council areas, Palm Island showed growth of 1.2 per cent, rising to an estimated population of 2634. Other regional councils all recorded declines.

Burdekin was down 0.6 per cent to 17,215, Charters Towers slipped 1 per cent to 11,949 and Hinchinbrook fell 0.8 per cent to 10,900.

Mr Dwyer said a relatively young population and high birth rate would be the reason for much of the growth of the Palm Island population. He said the strong birthrate at Townsville was also a big influence on the city’s growth.

At Mount Isa, miner Glencore announced late last year it was restarting its Lady Loretta zinc- lead- silver mine, creating up to 250 jobs.