Fertility decline in Australia
A demographic context
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December 2002
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Abstract
The declining birth rate is a major factor in population ageing and also has important implications for the way families function, for the economy and society more generally, and for issues of environmental sustainability. The purpose of this article is to sketch some of the dimensions of fertility decline in Australia. The author briefly describes the extent to which fertility levels have declined and then discusses the groups in society where fertility rates are relatively low.
The declining birth rate is a major factor in population ageing and also has important implications for the way families function, for the economy and society more generally, and for issues of environmental sustainability. The purpose of this article is to sketch some of the dimensions of fertility decline in Australia. The author briefly describes the extent to which fertility levels have declined and then discusses the groups in society where fertility rates are relatively low.