Environment
According to the Australian government’s Intergenerational Report 2026, the number of deaths in Australia is expected to exceed the number of births from the 2060s onward.
According to the Australian government’s Intergenerational Report 2026, the number of deaths in Australia is expected to exceed the number of births from the 2060s onward. This is the first time such a projection has appeared in the Australian government’s long-term official forecasts. The main reasons are the declining birth rate and the rapid ageing of the population. According to the report, the total fertility rate is expected to fall to around 1.34 children per woman by 2065–66. The number of Australians aged 85 and over is projected to nearly triple by 2065–66. As a result, pressure on healthcare, aged care, and the workforce is expected to increase. However, immigration will remain a major source of population growth. According to the report, without immigration, Australia’s population would experience a natural decline as deaths exceed births. In the year ending March 2026, approximately 292,500 births and 191,900 deaths were recorded in Australia.
