(CNN) Melbourne has overtaken Sydney to become Australia’s most populous city – thanks to a technicality.
The city, which is the state capital of Victoria, has had its borders redrawn to include Melton Borough, allowing Melbourne to overtake Sydney, reports CNN affiliate 9News.
The Australian government had forecast that Melbourne’s population would overtake Sydney’s by 2031-32.
In its Population Statement for 2022, the Australian federal government said Melbourne is expected to overtake Sydney as Australia’s largest city in just under 10 years, 2031-32.
But the redesigned Melbourne has a total population of about 5.8 million, almost 19,000 more people than Sydney, 9News added.
Flinders Street Station is one of Melbourne’s most recognizable landmarks.
“That’s because more people have moved away from Sydney and to other parts of Australia than in the opposite direction. In the case of Melbourne, on the other hand, more people have moved to Melbourne than have moved away in a few years.” Nick Parr, a professor of demography at Macquarie University, told Sydney radio station 2GB.
“But projections show that Sydney’s population will continue to grow, and Melbourne’s population will continue to grow as well,” he said, adding that immigration will “offset” the impact of low birth rates in both cities.
Liz Allen, a demographer at the Australian National University, told CNN that Melbourne’s growth was largely due to international migration over the past decade, as well as internal migration from Australia and a natural increase through births.
“Melbourne has become an extremely attractive place among the more recent waves of overseas migration to Australia, particularly among people born in India. Growing community networks are attracting subsequent new arrivals from India to the Melbourne area,” she explained in an email.
‘Storm in a Teacup’
However, Allen disputes Melbourne’s claim to the title, telling CNN that media reports have identified a measure called “Significant Urban Area Classification” as the thing that tipped Melbourne’s population over the threshold.
However, she said this geographic measure “tends to be less stable over time,” noting that “the more commonly used and stable standard geographic classification of the larger capital shows that Sydney is still Australia’s most populous capital, with population change set to overtake Melbourne Sydney.” and take the top spot in the coming decade.”
“Australia loves competitions and the rivalry between Sydney and Melbourne has excited many, but it’s all a bit of a storm in a teacup,” Allen said.