Baby boom: Why Victoria is leading the way

Victoria is in the midst of a baby boom, enjoying the biggest increase in birth rates of anywhere in Australia the past year.

ABS data shows an extra 9324 births were recorded in 2016, taking the total to 82,892, which is nearly a 13 per cent jump on the previous year.

But Professor Peter McDonald said Victorian women aren’t having more babies.

Rather, more women are migrating to Victoria.

“The increase in births is due to the increase in women,” he told Ross and John.

“Average number births per woman is slightly lower.

“The international migrants who come to Victoria are very young, and not long after they arrive they start having babies.”

Click PLAY to hear more from Professor McDonald (the man doing the job we think Ross secretly wants)