AUSTRALIA’S growing population has resulted in a renewed call for all governments to plan better for a population that is ageing as well.
The latest figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) show that this country’s population stood at 27.122 million as of March, a growth of 2.3 per cent.
Western Australia had the fastest growing population, up 3.1 per cent in the 12 months ending March 2023, the ABS says. This was followed by Victoria, which grew by 2.7 per cent, and Queensland, which grew by 2.5 per cent, the ABS says
In a media statement, the Retirement Living Council (RLC) says the ABS data shows that governments across the country need to have housing plans in place for an ageing population.
The RLC (part of the Property Council of Australia) says the data shows that the fastest growing age category of Australians is in the 75–79-year-old age bracket (6.55 per cent), as of March 2023.
RLC Executive Director Daniel Gannon said governments can no longer ignore the housing needs of an ageing population and says current planning systems are a major hurdle.
“With an annual growth rate of 6.55 per cent, the 75–79-year-old age group significantly out paces all other demographics with an average overall growth rate of 2.46 per cent,” he says.
“Despite a willingness from operators to develop more age-friendly communities to help accommodate Australia’s ageing population, they continue to face unnecessary barriers from the same governments crying out for more housing supply.”
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Mr Gannon says 67 per cent of retirement village development applications take more than 365 days to be assessed while 23 per cent take more than 730 days.
“This is alarming and unacceptable at a time when we need more supply,” he says.
“More red tape and complexity in planning systems won’t help build the homes required to appropriately accommodate the demographic ‘silver tsunami’ we are facing.”
Mr Gannon said governments need to better understand the potential upside of injecting more age-friendly housing supply into the market.
“Governments should be throwing the kitchen sink at unleashing more retirement villages given they are proven to keep people healthier and happier for longer,” he said.
ABS DATA
This country’s population growth is being driven by overseas migration, according to Beidar Cho, ABS head of demography.
“Net overseas migration drove 83 per cent of this population growth, while births and deaths, known as natural increase, made up the other 17 per cent.”
The only state or territory whose population was not boosted by overseas migration was the Northern Territory for which birthrate was the top factor; the NT recorded 2182 more births compared to deaths.
Annual net overseas migration in the year to March 2024 was 509,800 people, down from 559,900 in September 2023., the ABS says
There were 105,500 more births in the year ending March 2024 (289,700) compared to registered deaths (184,200), it added, with net overseas migration at 509,800.
According to the figures, New South Wales remains the most populous state with 8.46 million, an extra 167,700 people over the previous year; Victoria is second at 6.95m (an extra 184,000 people) and Queensland is third with 5.56 million (or an extra 134.600) people.
South Australia has 1.87 million (an extra 27.300), Western Australia has 2.95 million (up 89,000), Tasmania has 575.700 (2200), Northern Territory has 254,300 people (up 2000) and Australian Capital Territory has 472,800 people (up 8400).
ABS data available here.
