Australia's demographic future: determinants of our population

During the past five years or so there has been a change in attitude about Australia's population, from concern about whether it was growing too slowly, to a questioning about whether it is growing too fast. Similarly, there has been a change from concern that Australia's birth rate was too low, to some relief that it is near replacement level. In addition, while high immigration during the post-war years was actively promoted as a means of achieving rapid population growth, there is now recognition that even a low level of annual net migration could result in a future population in excess of 25 million (even with fertility continuing at 10% below replacement level).