The Northern Territory lost 2,930 people to interstate migration in the September quarter of 2021, newly released figures show, but ultimately recorded an annual population decrease of 0.2 per cent, the NT Department of Treasury and Finance said.

The government said interstate and overseas migration have been impacted due to COVID-19 restrictions and that the Territory’s estimated population overall only declined marginally by 44 persons in the September quarter 2021 to 245,865 persons, after adding in new arrivals.

Nationally, population increased marginally by 12,056 persons or 0.05 per cent.

Annual population growth in other jurisdictions ranged from a decrease of 0.5 per cent in Victoria to a 1.1 per cent increase in Queensland.

In the 2021 September quarter, the NT recorded growth from natural increases was 643, comprising 935 births and 292 deaths.

“The Territory’s net interstate migration (NIM) is highly volatile, reflecting the relatively young and transient population,” the Department of Treasury and Finance said in a statement.

“NIM is being impacted by the ABS recently making COVID-19-related methodological adjustments to its treatment of Medicare source data used to estimate interstate migration flows.”

In the year to September 2021, the Territory recorded a net loss of 2,930 persons to other jurisdictions, a 30.9 per cent increase on the net loss of 2,239 persons in the previous year.

There were 5,866 arrivals to, and 6,503 departures from, the Territory in the September 2021 quarter, the government said.

“The impact of COVID-19 border restrictions has caused significant disruption to usual migration flows,” the NT Government said.

In the year to September 2021, net overseas migration in the Territory detracted 304 persons, a worsening compared to the positive contribution of 72 persons in the previous year.

Nationally, net overseas migration detracted 67,268 persons, a worsening compared to the positive contribution of 75,627 persons in the previous year.