Planning needed as Australia grows and ages

Australia's population is likely to reach 30 million within 11 years. And Australians are continuing to age: the latest figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics suggest that within 24 years, more than a million Australians will be aged over 85.

Pedestrians in Rundle Mall, Adelaide Source: AAP

The Australian Bureau of Statistics' ((ABS)) latest data suggest that by 2029, 30 million people will be calling Australia home. And by 2066, Australia's population could be as high as 49 million.

It also shows a nation getting older: low fertility rates and increased life expectancy equates to an ever-aging population. By 2042 more than one million Australians could be aged over 85 - that’d be 3 per cent of the population.

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