Australia’s population is not only ageing; it is also becoming more diverse. Over the decade to 2021, the average
Australian has become both one year older and three percentage points (pp) more likely to have been born
overseas. This convergence of ageing and migration trends is expected to continue: Projections suggest that not
only can Australia expect its older population to grow faster than its younger population, but also that older people
from non-European and non-English-speaking backgrounds will continue to see the fastest rates of increase.
The key driver is Australia’s nation-building migration program. It keeps Australia’s demography younger, but as
migrants age they fuel greater diversity at the top of the age pyramid. They add to the mix of cultures and languages
of past waves of migrants and those of Australia’s Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander peoples, who are also seeing
significant population growth and rapid rates of ageing, albeit from a smaller population base.
These trends pose new questions. What are the expected characteristics of a more diverse and older population?
How does this translate to wellbeing in old age and affect needs, demand, and access to public and private goods
and services – including the provision of care in residential and community settings? And how does the intersection
of ageing and diversity expose strengths and vulnerabilities in some groups?
Authors
- Published in
- Australia
