Adelaide's low population growth is completely unacceptable, Premier Steven Marshall says.
Latest figures show the greater Adelaide region grew by just 9648 people in 2016/17 compared to 125,424 in Melbourne and 101,558 in Sydney.
"One of the highest priorities of my government will be addressing low population growth in Adelaide and the regions, and driving a population growth agenda is integral to creating more jobs here in South Australia," Mr Marshall said on Tuesday.
"These population growth figures are completely unacceptable and much more must be done to stop the exodus of young South Australians pursuing job opportunities interstate and overseas."
The Property Council's SA executive director Daniel Gannon said the figures showed Victoria grew by more people in 28 days than South Australia did across the entire year.
"South Australia is now rock bottom when it comes to population growth, which is connected to the growth trajectory of the state's economy," he said.
"Without immediate and wholesale reform to the policy levers that can increase South Australia's population growth rate, our state's economic potential will be limited."
Mr Marshall said the state government's reforms, including payroll tax cuts for small businesses, deregulating shop trading hours and reducing land tax were all geared towards creating an environment for economic and population growth.
