Demography: Driving Employment in South Australia. Are we prepared?

Disclaimer: This study, while embodying the best efforts of the investigators is but an expression of the issues considered most relevant, and neither SACES, the investigators, nor the University of Adelaide can be held responsible for any consequences that ensue from the use of the information in this report. [...] Purpose of the Fund The Purpose of the Fund is to expand the University’s South Australian Centre for Economic Studies’ (SACES) current economic research, including: • deepening, widening and stimulating publication and economic debate, • commissioning and subsidising research into economic, industry and social policy issues of importance to the economic, industrial and social development of South. [...] Other indicators of the pressures on the labour supply at the end of 2022/23 are the ABS trend estimate of the employment to population ratio by June 2023 being at 61.9 per cent, the highest since these estimates began while the trend unemployment rate of 3.7 per cent and 21,700 unemployed looking for full time work are each the lowest since the ABS started these estimates. [...] Are we prepared? 7 With overseas immigration per annum to South Australia projected to be steady to lower on the basis of the IGR 2023 projections, and NIM turning again negative, along with the underlying factor of the population aged 70 and over growing faster than the population over 15 years, the ratio of the South Australian labour force to the South Australian population over 15 years seems. [...] Several questions remain: will the expected growth in employment in Healthcare and Social Assistance and Personal and Other Services be sufficient to meet the needs of an ageing population; will the growth be sufficient to meet the likelihood of expected continued growth in NDIS related demand and achieve the expected increased service standards (which will largely require increased and more skill.