ECO049 Will a 'baby bust' send Australia broke? (615 words)

Fewer Australians: will this create a more sustainable society, or will it cause economic growth to evaporate? This article reviews the latest population growth rates for Australia, compares them to rates in other countries and outlines the arguments as to why this might be a negative or a positive for the domestic economy.

To stem its then soaring population growth rate, which was widely believed to be crippling economic development, China introduced the draconian ‘one child policy’ in 1979 – a move now seen as directly lifting 150 million people out of poverty.

The policy focused global attention on fertility rates around the world. It raised the question of whether strong birth rates enhance economic growth or, in fact, stop countries from reaching their full potential.