Australia’s baby bust is a policy failure. We must fix it

June 1, 2026 — 5:00am

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Today, nearly one in four women aged 18 to 45 say they will not have children, while most women who do intend to have kids say they will have smaller families than earlier generations.

The nation’s fertility rate, the expected births per woman, peaked in 2008 at 2.02, but it has since fallen by 25 per cent to a record low of 1.48 in 2024. No children, fewer children, smaller families.

The fertility rate is a key driver of future population and age structure. Lower fertility results in fewer workers entering the labour force over time, with consequences for workforce size, productivity growth and the tax base that is needed........

© The Sydney Morning Herald