Australia birth rate drops to all time low: McCrindle Unpacking family and fertility report reveals the influences

Australia’s birth rate has dropped to an all-time low as younger Australians delay parenthood or rethink it altogether.

Data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics reveals the Australian birth rate has dropped to just 1.5 children per woman from a peak of 3.55 in 1961.

A new report from McCrindle looking into the declining birth rate has explored the factors affecting family decisions, revealing the biggest barriers to family planning among Australians are cost, job security and economic uncertainty.

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The current birth rate of 1.5 babies per woman is well below the level needed to sustain Australia’s population without migration.

“Today’s birth rate is not enough to sustain our population long-term,” Mark McCrindle said of the family statistics in a media release.

“Without a major shift in family patterns or migration, we are on track for an inverted population pyramid – more people over 65 than under 15 by 2026.”

But it doesn’t look to improve any time soon.

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The birth rate has been trending downward since its peak in 1961. Meanwhile, the median age of parenthood has been increasing. It currently sits at 31.9 for mothers and 33.8 for fathers.

This trend has surfaced as modern Australians face a new reality with rising costs, shifting social norms and economic uncertainty, putting off parenthood until later in life.

McCrindle observes that younger generations are putting off parenthood as many have a desire to “establish themselves in life before progressing to have children”.

This involves forming a stable relationship, establishing a stable career and entering the housing market.

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According to the report, “three in five Australians (59 per cent) strongly or somewhat agree that there is an expectation to establish a career and be financially stable before having children”.

“Parenting is therefore seen as something you engage in one you arrive’, rather than as part of the journey of life.”

The biggest barrier to this, according to the report, is money with most Australians surveyed (49 per cent) revealing that the cost of raising a child is the biggest concern influencing their parenting decisions.

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The second biggest concern is the desire to be financially secure before having children, followed by economic uncertainty. Beyond that, a quarter are concerned about the state of the future world and falling short as a parent.

Despite all of this, there is still a desire for parenthood across Australia.

According to the report’s nationally representative survey, the report finds that “62 per cent of Australians are already parents while almost one in five want to be in the future”.

Meanwhile, one in 20 are unsure if they want to have children, while 12 per cent say they have made the decision not to have children. Three per cent revealed they had wanted children but were unable to.

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The report also found that many believe the joys and rewards of having children are well celebrated but half of respondents find that there is little value places on the sacrifice it takes to have children.

That sacrifice is front of mind for many who are planning a family and while the age of parenthood is increasing, family planning is still on the minds of young Australians.

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Recent research conducted for the 9honey and Elevit Parenting survey found 53 per cent of people are starting to plan their family before age 28.

Of those surveyed, a further 21 per cent are starting to think about a family between the age of 29 and 31.

But while these conversations and the planning is kicking off early for a lot of Australians, that’s what they are: planning and not actually having kids yet. 

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