Australia Sees Deaths Overtake Births by 2060s as Population Forecast Falls to 39.3 Million
Updated
Updated · Al Jazeera English · Sep 21
Australia Sees Deaths Overtake Births by 2060s as Population Forecast Falls to 39.3 Million
3 articles · Updated · Al Jazeera English · Sep 21
Summary
Australia’s Treasury said deaths will exceed births by the 2060s, a demographic turning point in its latest Intergenerational Report.
The report cut the 2065-66 population forecast to 39.3 million—1.8 million below the 2023 outlook—as annual growth slows to 0.9% and fertility falls to 1.34.
Immigration is expected to account for all population growth, while the number of Australians aged 85 or older is projected to triple by 2065-66.
Treasury still expects the economy to more than double by the mid-2060s, assuming AI lifts long-run productivity and more women and older Australians stay in work.
Business groups and economists questioned that optimism, noting productivity growth has slumped to 0.8% and real GDP per person is already about $2,000 below the 2023 forecast.