New research has found that an alarming number of young Australians are choosing not to become parents, blaming the current cost of living.
More than half of people aged 18 to 34 choose not to have children due to financial difficulties, according to the latest data collected by Australian research firm RedBridge.
The data comes from a survey of 2,000 Australians from the Millennial and Gen Z cohorts. It showed that only 35 per cent have a university education and just under half do not own their own home.
RedBridge director Kos Samaras said today’s youth are postponing life decisions that previous generations made without much thought.
The country’s birth rate is currently 1.6 babies per woman, well below population replacement levels of 2.1.
The government has said it is seeking to boost the shrinking population by easing cost-of-living pressures to make it easier for young Australians to have families.
Millennial Laura Henshaw, 30, has been discussing the topic regularly on his podcast titled Do I Want to Have Children?
He said that in doing his podcast he has spoken to more than 1,000 people who are not convinced about becoming parents because of money.
Laura Henshaw (pictured right) has been discussing the topic regularly on her podcast titled Do I Want Children?
Samaras explained that financial stress was the biggest obstacle that prevented many young people from even contemplating the possibility of starting a family.
“The amount young people have to pay on mortgages or rent, they also have HECS debt and are often living beyond their means,” he said. news.com.au.
Samaras said it could take young people until their 30s or 40s to achieve financial stability.
He said there will likely be an increase in people starting families later in life because having a baby in this economy could be financially crippling.
Another millennial, Sam, 29, said she is open to having children, but said that First you need to clear your $100,000 HECS debt and own your own home.
“You know, I can’t even afford shredded cheese, which costs like $12 a bag these days,” he said. ABC News on Tuesday.
‘It’s the furthest thing from my mind right now. Which is ironic, considering my mother probably had me at my age.
Henshaw said he has spoken to more than 1,000 people who are unsure about becoming parents because of money problems.
Treasurer Jim Chalmers said The morning edition last month that “it would be better if birth rates were higher.”
‘I think people will leave it later. And sometimes that means you’re running out of time. But there are a whole host of reasons why people’s preferences are changing. “It’s expensive to raise children,” he said.
But now some women are wondering if they really want to have children.
Late last year, Australian model Ellie Gonsalves, 33, went viral by sharing a list of 117 reasons why she didn’t want to have children.
She stressed that the list was very “personal,” but after years of being asked why she didn’t want to be a mother, she decided to post the entire list online.
Among their reasons were: postpartum hair loss, the baby can poop inside you, your vagina will be different, your house will never be tidy, childbirth can cause rectal prolapse, and you miss out on things you love to do.
He also noted that children are his responsibility until he dies, they can be rude, they can be bullies, and they can become a serial killer.
“I’ve already received hundreds of direct messages criticizing me and telling me how horrible and broken I am,” the reality star said.
‘And although some of those things on my list are satirical, many are serious and objective. The social pressure when it comes to this topic is really questionable and I think unfair towards those who have different opinions.
“Very rarely do we see a voice supporting this, because let’s face it, the public reaction can be too much.”
After years of being asked why she didn’t want to be a mother, Gonsalves decided to post the entire list online.
The list caused such outrage that it ended up on The Project justifying her right not to have children.
Gonsalves said she can understand why women don’t sell out and said having a baby today is different than 20 or 30 years ago.
“From conversations with friends, it is clear that many women choose not to have children due to a combination of concerns,” she said.
‘When considering having children in Australia’s current economy, people face several major issues such as job insecurity, high cost of living, childcare expenses, educational costs, work-life balance issues, health issues mental health, environmental concerns, lack of social support, and insufficient government policies.’