Australian Bureau Of Statistics

Proportion Of Older Australians Continues To Rise

Victor P Taffa

Proportion of Australia’s population aged 65 years and over continued to increase in 2018, with Tasmania home to the country’s oldest population, according to the latest figures released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).

ABS Demography Director Anthony Grubb said a range of factors had contributed to the ageing trend.

 

“Over the 20-year period to 2018, the proportion of Australia’s working age population remained fairly stable at around two-thirds of the total population, while the proportion of people aged 65 years and over increased from 12.2 % to 15.7 %.” Mr. Grubb said.

“Conversely, the proportion of people aged under 15 years decreased from 21.0 % to 18.8 % during this same period.”

“There are several drivers for Australia’s ageing population more of the large baby boomer cohort is reaching 65 and there has been an increase in life expectancy. This has occurred alongside low fertility rates which have resulted in fewer children.”

“Tasmania continues to have our oldest population, with a median age of 42 years, while the Northern Territory is still the youngest with a median age of 33 years.” Mr. Grubb said.

Overall, Australia’s population grew by 390,500 people in the year ending 30 June 2018, to reach 24.9 Million. New South Wales had the largest population of any state or territory at just under 7.99 Million while Victoria was the fastest growing, increasing 2.2 % to almost 6.46 Million.

Net overseas migration added 236,700 people to the population and accounted for 61 % of Australia’s total population growth.

Natural increase contributed 153,800 additional people to Australia’s population, was the result of 314,800 births and 161,000 deaths.