Australia’s birth rate falls to lowest in almost 20 years

As Australia’s birth rate falls to its lowest level in almost 20 years, many blame the sharp decline on Boomers and social infertility.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics has revealed that the fertility rate has fallen to 1.5 babies per woman, with the number of births recorded in Australia in 2023 just under 287,000 – the lowest level since 2006.

‘Social infertility’ (a phenomenon in which Australians want to become parents but are biologically unable to do so for a variety of reasons, including sexual orientation or relationship status) has been partly blamed for this decline.

Others accused Boomers of focusing solely on policies that ‘benefit’ them rather than their children, and claimed they were forced to postpone parenthood for financial and social reasons.

Alice Huston, 32, decided to freeze her eggs after her husband showed no signs of wanting to start a family.

At the age of 30, when she became aware of her fertility, she brought up the idea of ​​having children with her long-term boyfriend, and time was ticking.

‘I wanted to come up with some sort of plan, whereas his priority was to keep his options open. “He would say things like, ‘Maybe I couldn’t go skiing then,'” Ms Huston told the ABC.

Ms Huston broke up with her boyfriend two years later and spent $18,000 freezing her eggs.

The rise of social infertility has contributed to Australia’s all-time low birth rate. Not being able to have or delaying having a baby due to factors such as high cost of living, lack of a place to stay, and lack of a partner is considered social infertility (illustrated stock photo of a baby)

‘Having my eggs frozen makes me feel like I have a little more time to do other things,’ she said.

Ms. Huston’s case reflects a broader trend; 38 percent of women freeze their eggs for non-medical reasons due to factors such as uncertain relationships, career orientation and financial instability.

Election advocate Tanya Williams, author A Childless Happily Ever AfterHe pointed out that the high cost of living and environmental concerns are important factors behind the increase in the number of young people choosing to postpone or give up having children.

“They appear to be the real driving forces behind this,” he told Daily Mail Australia.

‘Everyone’s situation is different, of course, and there are many reasons why people decide not to have children.

‘There is no right or wrong reason, it’s all about what is right or wrong for the individual.’

If a person knows whether they want children, they should talk about it early in the relationship, Ms. Williams said.

‘I think the main thing for everyone is to make sure you and your partner are on the same page,’ he said.

Tanya Williams (pictured), choice advocate and author of A Childfree Happiness Ever After, said younger generations were finding it too expensive to have babies and the government needed to address the high cost of living if it wanted to raise the birth rate.

‘Because assumptions are often made, such as thinking a partner wants children, but no one talks about it.

‘Then they get to a point where their relationship becomes serious, or they’ve been married for many years, and then one of them decides they don’t want kids and it’s heartbreaking.’

The choice advocate believes the blame for low birth rates is often placed on women, but this needs to be ‘a conversation for both genders’.

‘As we know, this is the same as when a woman decides to become a mother, much of the care and responsibility is still on her,’ she said.

‘Until people get rid of the pro-natalist attitude that it’s a woman’s job to do this, it’s going to be hard to see change.’

Ms Williams said the government also criticized and blamed childless women, but not men.

‘Politicians make these huge assumptions and generalizations; “They are uneducated about the real issue,” he said.

‘There are many reasons why people don’t have children.

‘Someone may be childless by choice, while others may be childless by circumstances because they do not have a partner or cannot have children.

‘No government should have the right to tell a woman what to do.’

Ms Williams said the government had gone ‘mad’ over the low birth rate and it was purely out of need for money and taxpayers.

‘If the government wants more people to have children maybe they should look at the cost of living,’ he said.

‘And how can they help younger generations afford to make ends meet because many of them say, ‘I can’t even afford to pay for myself, let alone have children.’

As the number of young Australians choosing to remain childfree declines and rises, many Boomers are mourning the prospect of becoming grandparents.

However, some young people were quick to warn the older generation and blame them for the fertility crisis.

“Maybe Boomers and Gen Xers could have grandchildren if they focused on voting for policies that benefit their children, not themselves,” someone said on social media.

‘They pulled the ladder behind them and waited for us to continue climbing.’

“Brother, we don’t even have money to buy a house, let alone new people,” added a second.

Another commented: ‘Boomers sit in four-bedroom paid-for homes in the suburbs while their children drown in debt and the cost of living soars.’