Health, wealth and housing: here’s what forecasters think Australia will look like in 2066
News Source
•Mon, 21 Sep 2026 15:00:34 GMT
📰 What Happened
The government's Intergenerational Report looks ahead to 2066. It says Australia's population will reach about 40 million. People will live longer and have fewer babies.
Household wealth is expected to keep rising, but younger people will gain less than past generations did. Super balances will grow, and fewer retirees will need the aged pension.
For the first time, deaths are expected to outnumber births in the 2060s. The number of people over 85 will triple. Life expectancy will reach about 89.5 years for women and 86.1 for men.
🔍 The Backstory
The report is released every five years. It maps the pressures on the budget and the economy over the next 40 years. This version warns about an ageing population and slower growth.
Housing is a major theme. The report says 250,000 more people aged 25 to 34 would own a home today if ownership rates had stayed at 1981 levels. It names tax breaks such as negative gearing as part of the problem.
Growth in living standards is expected to slow, from about 1.5 per cent per person each year to 1.2 per cent. Even that depends on productivity rising again, which the report links to artificial intelligence.
🎯 Why It Matters
The report shapes the political fight over tax, migration and housing. It is the clearest picture of the country today's teenagers will inherit.
The government's Intergenerational Report looks ahead to 2066. It says Australia's population will reach about 40 million. People will live longer and have fewer babies.
Household wealth is expected to keep rising, but younger people will gain less than past generations did. Super balances will grow, and fewer retirees will need the aged pension.
For the first time, deaths are expected to outnumber births in the 2060s. The number of people over 85 will triple. Life expectancy will reach about 89.5 years for women and 86.1 for men.
The report is released every five years. It maps the pressures on the budget and the economy over the next 40 years. This version warns about an ageing population and slower growth.
Housing is a major theme. The report says 250,000 more people aged 25 to 34 would own a home today if ownership rates had stayed at 1981 levels. It names tax breaks such as negative gearing as part of the problem.
Growth in living standards is expected to slow, from about 1.5 per cent per person each year to 1.2 per cent. Even that depends on productivity rising again, which the report links to artificial intelligence.
The report shapes the political fight over tax, migration and housing. It is the clearest picture of the country today's teenagers will inherit.