Federal Treasurer Jim Chalmers has warned an ageing population could see Australia’s workforce heavily diminished in the years to come.
Chalmers raised concerns about future workforce shortages due to longer life expectancy and a sharp decline in Australia’s fertility rate. The trends imply fewer Australians paying taxes to fund government services and a greater need for support for the aged care sector.
Among other things, Chalmers spruiked changes to Australia’s immigration system to address these concerns:
