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BRITISH MIGRANTS TOP LIST

EMIGRANTS from Britain again topped the list of nationalities moving to settle in Australia. But many of them shied away from living in Sydney, which had its lowest intake of migrants in 20 years.

Against this, Australia accepted its largest number of migrants and refugees in a decade.

Migrants from Britain totalled 18,000 and were the largest single group, followed by New Zealanders - although they do not have to pass a points test to enter Australia - unlike all other migrants.

The share of new migrants moving to New South Wales has plunged to its lowest level in 20 years as international settlers increasingly spurn Sydney for Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth.

Following pleas from the federal and New South Wales governments for migrants to move to less-populated areas, Department of Immigration figures show Victoria, Western Australia and Queensland are gaining increasing shares of them.

In the past financial year, more than 111,000 people arrived and settled in Australia.

This was an increase of nearly 20,000 from the previous year's total of 93,914, the largest number of migrant and refugee entrants in a decade.

Immigrants from Britain, at 18,000, comprised the largest share of new settlers, followed by people from New Zealand.

More than 28,000 of the new immigrants settled in Victoria, an increase of nearly 5000 from the previous year, and the highest increase in raw numbers.

Queensland had the second-largest net increase in migrants and refugees, following Victoria, with an increase of more than 4000 from the previous year's total of 16,182.

There has also been a dramatic increase in the number of people deciding to live in Western Australia, with an increase of more than 3000 from 12,279.

But New South Wales' share of total settler arrivals - 38 per cent - was its lowest percentage since 1983-84. Just over 40,000 people arrived and settled in New South Wales in 2003-04, down nearly 7000 from the 2000-01 total of 46,745.

The figures come three years after a state-federal taskforce was convened to examine ways of reducing migration into New South Wales to ease population stresses on Sydney.

It also follows moves by Victorian Premier Steve Bracks, who, in contrast to his New South Wales counterpart Bob Carr, is an enthusiastic proponent of population growth. Mr Bracks wants 6 million people in Victoria by 2025, up from the present 4.76 million.

Immigration Minister Amanda Vanstone said the New South Wales decrease was in line with the federal Government's efforts to encourage migrants to settle where they are most needed.