The largest diaspora community of Maltese speakers is in Australia, with 36,000 speakers reported in 2006 (down from 45,000 in 1996, and expected to decline further)."As at the 2006 Australian Census, the number of Australians speaking Maltese at home was 36,514, compared to 41,250 in 2001 and 45,243 in 1996. The 2006 figures represent a drop of 19.29% when compared with the 1996 figures. Given that many of those who speak Maltese at home are over the age of 60, the number of Maltese speakers will invariably go for a nosedive by 2016." Joseph Carmel Chetcuti, Why It's time to bury the Maltese language in Australia , Malta Independent, 2 March 2010.
the largest diaspora community of maltese speakers is in australia with 36000 speakers reported in 2006 (down from 45000 in 1996 and expected to decline further)"as at the 2006 australian census the number of australians speaking maltese at home was 36514 compared to 41250 in 2001 and 45243 in 1996 the 2006 figures represent a drop of 1929% when compared with the 1996 figures given that many of those who speak maltese at home are over the age of 60 the number of maltese speakers will invariably go for a nosedive by 2016" joseph carmel chetcuti why it's time to bury the maltese language in australia  malta independent 2 march 2010