MARCH FOR AUSTRALIA 31 August 2025: when people believe what neo-Nazis & white supremacists loudly chant and fail to fact check before they join a march

"On 18 August, 2GB radio host Ben Fordham said that 1,544 migrants, or the equivalent of five fully-loaded Boeing 787 Dreamliners, were arriving in Australia "day after day, week after week".

Fordham went on to suggest this figure is why the 'March for Australia' protests were organised....

The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) said these figures are not an accurate reflection of actual migration figures." [SBS News FactCheckers, 1 Sept 2025]

 

Marchers Attacking and damaging indigenous sovereign camp. Unprovoked. Protesters begging them to stop. pic.twitter.com/u17dfKciXU

— 🕸️Messywebz🔞 (@Messywebz) September 1, 2025

Because the barely concealed 'othering' of large parts of the Australian population should never be tolerated and because the combination of ignorance, racism and hate-filled violence which also occurred during the March for Australia event was a disgrace, here is a brief outline of Australia's genuine migration statistics.

 

Note: click on tables & graphs to enlarge for easier reading

 

Australian Bureau of Statistics, National, state and territory population, as of December 2024:

Estimated Resident Population (ERP).

• Australia’s population was 27,400,013 people at 31 December 2024.

• The quarterly growth was 91,133 people (0.3%).

• The annual growth was 445,900 people (1.7%).

• Annual natural increase was 105,200 and net overseas migration was 340,800.

Components of annual population change(a) Dec 04 to Dec 24

Components of annual population change by states and territories in 2024

AIFS, Births in Australia, December 2024:

The total fertility rate for Australia in 2023 was 1.50, which is the lowest ever recorded. The previous lowest rate was 1.59 recorded during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020....

Since 1976, the total national fertility rate has been below the replacement level, which is about 2.1 births per woman....

Replacement level is the level at which a population is replaced from one generation to the next without immigration....

Over the last decade it [the fertility rate] has been below replacement level for all states and territories.

[SEE: https://aifs.gov.au/research/facts-and-figures/births-australia-2024]

These figures indicate that Australia is no longer able to sustain a stable population demographic based on live births alone. The beginning of the marked fall in population replacement levels can be pinpointed to 1961 with the introduction of the contraceptive pill.

Total fertility rate in Australia, 1921-2023

[SEE: https://aifs.gov.au/research/facts-and-figures/births-australia-2024]

The figures and graphs also tell us that permanent migration from overseas into the Commonwealth of Australia and its territories has not increased dramatically.

In the year ending 31 December 2024, net overseas migration:

• was 340,800 people

• decreased by 189,900 (35.8%) people since the previous year.

[SEE:

https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/people/population/national-state-and-territory-population/latest-release

Basically that is a rough average of est. 934 individuals per day arriving in Australia as permanent residents in 2024. Given Australia loses roughly est. 510 individuals per day due to death, then permanent migration figures are hardly the avalanche pushing Australia's population to the unsustainable level that neo-Nazis, white supremacists, far-right lobby groups and the Murdoch media say is occurring in this country. [SEE: https://www.actuaries.asn.au/research-analysis/mortality-in-first-eight-months-of-2024-2-higher-than-predicted]

Looking at state and territory population change below for the year 2024—which is comprised of natural increase, net overseas migration (overseas arrivals minus overseas departures), and net interstate migration (interstate arrivals minus interstate departures) - it clearly shows that population change is not evenly distributed between the states and territories. That metropolitan areas in some states, as well as having markedly mobile resident populations may also have higher levels of both post WWII and post-pandemic migrants.

Net overseas migration by state and territory—annual

Natural increase by state and territory – annual

Perhaps uneven population distribution is one factor which appears to make a sub-section of Australian society more susceptible to the influence of those bad actors on the political stage who are erroneously insisting that out-of-control "mass migration" is "overwhelming the country". The susceptible may come to falsely believe that all migrant numbers are exactly replicated in every corner of Australia.

As the gentle giants pass by......

Twice a year the ocean off the NSW Coast becomes a busy highway.

Between May and July these gentle giants can be seen heading north towards their sub-tropical breeding grounds and then between September and November they pass along coastal waters heading south back to Antarctica. 

Here are some scenes of the northern migration in 2023 and 2024 as the whales make their way through the waters off northern New South Wales.

 

Video by  Joe Young

 

pic.twitter.com/yJ6rjhztmp

— sᴉɹɹǝℲ ǝllǝɥɔoɹ (@OzEcology) June 12, 2024

Via @OzEcology

 Video byByron-Jindabyne

Video by Alex McNaught

Southern Right Whale and her small 'white' calf spotted in NSW coastal waters on their way to Antarctica

 

Southern Right Whale & her white calf
IMAGE: Right Whale ID program volunteer drone operator Maree Jackson

NSW Dept. of Planning and Environment, media release, 12 August 2022:

LEAVE THE LITTLE ‘WHITE’ WHALE ALONE

Four pairs of mother-and-calf southern right whales have been seen in NSW waters so far this winter – but one pair is slapping up a frenzy on social media.

The calf in this pair is mostly white, as seen in vision taken from high above, reminding people of the famous humpback Migaloo.

However, National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) Marine Wildlife Team Project Officer Andrew Marshall said while the sighting was exciting, whale fans needed to stay well clear of the family.

It is illegal to approach any closer than 300 metres when a calf is present, if you are on a vessel, including surfboards, paddleboards and kayaks. Drones must legally stay at least 100 metres above the animals.

“The calf appears to be white but is actually brindle,” Mr Marshall said.

“Its ‘white’ areas will darken to grey as it ages – it’s one of around 1-in-30 southern right whale calves born with brindle colouring.

“This is a rare event to see a virtually white brindle calf, as southern right whales are mostly very dark, although some have splashes of white called a blaze.

“If you look closely at the video you can also see pale grey areas on the mother, who also carries the recessive brindle gene,” he said.

The vision was captured off the south coast recently by accredited drone volunteer, Maree Jackson, from the NSW Government’s Right Whale ID research program to monitor the whales.

Maree used her camera’s zoom function from above the legal height of 100 metres to capture the ‘white’ calf surfacing for a breath while swimming alongside its mother.

Her drone approached at 100 metres then used a 7x optical zoom to capture the stunning close-ups.

“Curious onlookers are reminded to keep back and give the nursing mother and calf space to rest undisturbed,” Mr Marshall said.

“A calf needs up to 300 litres of milk a day to gain the weight needed for the 5000-kilometre swim back down to Antarctic waters in the coming month, so both the mother and calf need to be left alone so they can rest and feel safe.”

Now in its second year, the Right Whale ID Program uses highly trained volunteer drone operators to photograph the unique white head-markings on each southern right whale.

The Right Whale ID program operates as part of the Marine Estate Management Strategy, working with volunteer drone operators to collect important information about southern right whales to assist in their management, protection and conservation.

Southern Right Whale & her 'white' calf
Vision: Created by Right Whale ID program volunteer drone operator Maree Jackson

BACKGROUND

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HNiA9qdF9ZA

Australian east coast 'peak' southern whale migration underway but so far fewer whale sightings & fewer calves

ABC News, 19 September 2021:

The Australian coast is a busy route for whales during their annual migration north.
(Supplied: Go Whale Watching)

Queensland researchers say whale watchers have reported fewer sightings this east coast migration season.

But experts say there has been less traffic near popular beaches this year.

Griffith Centre for Coastal Management researcher Dr Olaf Meynecke said it's been an unusual season with whales remaining further out to sea.

"Very different to the last three years at least, because we've had the whales migrate quite far offshore," Dr Meynecke said.

"There's a lot less happening closer to the coast."

Dr Meynecke said the southern migration was now underway, with whales and their calves making their return journey.

He said pods had been more commonly spotted 10-to-15 km offshore.

"We've actually had less entanglements in shark nets and those entanglements usually happen when the whales are close to shore," he said.

"Of course the mums and calves usually come close to shore to rest.

"But there's not as many as we had last year and definitely not as many newborns.

"It's been a very different season."

Whales and their calves are currently on their return journey south along the east coast.(Supplied: Seaworld)

Dr Maynecke said the East Australian Current (EAC) - made famous by a certain clownfish - serves as a navigation tool for migrating humpbacks.

He said this year the EAC was further offshore which could explain why whales were too.

Ocean Analyst Lucinda Matthews from the Bureau of Meteorology said the EAC did appear to weaken along the Gold Coast in August and move slightly east.

"It's possible the whales are now staying offshore to stay in the maximum current available to hitch the best ride south," Ms Matthews said……

The East Australian Current begins at the point where the westward flowing South Equatorial Current splits into two. (Supplied: Bureau of Meteorology)

Federal Parliament suspends inquiry into migration in regional Australia until later in 2020

The Joint Standing Committee on Migration has decided to suspend its inquiry into migration in regional Australia, in light of the economic effects of the public health situation changing the nature of the needs of communities in regional Australia.

“Given the fast evolving situation in Australia and around the world, and the challenges posed by COVID-19, the Committee felt it best to suspend its inquiry,” Mr Julian Leeser MP, Committee Chair said. “The Committee was unanimous in this decision, which it does not take lightly.”

“The Committee will reconsider the matter later in 2020 but would like to sincerely thank everyone who has contributed to the inquiry so far. Your input and dedication to supporting and developing Australia’s regions is greatly appreciated.”

Any questions about the suspension of the inquiry should be directed to migration@aph.gov.au.