population policy questions Population growth and the ageing population, housing the nation, and the scope of future infrastructure programs are prominent issues in 2018. The challenges of the ageing Intergenerational Report highlighted population, managing skilled the acceleration of Australia’s ageing population. migration and housing our The report projected that the number of Australians growing population are issues aged over 65 years will increase from 3.6 million of the moment. in 2014–15 to 8.9 million by 2054–55. The report We’re four full months into the year, notes that the proportion of over 65s in the total and four significant policy matters have population will increase from 15 per cent to captured media commentary and political 22.6 per cent mid-century. attention: population, economic growth, skills Our capacity to provide the services and welfare and infrastructure. These four inter-related support for our ageing population, while delivering challenges, and opportunities, are critically ongoing economic growth is amongst the federal important matters for both our industry and for government’s greatest challenges. To do so, it Pino Monaco Australia’s future. Increasingly, they are also needs to generate sufficient tax revenue to fund a HIA National dividing public opinion. more demanding social welfare program, and to President On one side of the debate, advocates argue that deliver the necessary infrastructure to service the Australia’s immigration numbers are too high, that broader demographics of our population. All the our current population growth rate is unsustainable while enabling corporate Australia to expand and and that perceived downsides of a larger invest, compete internationally, drive innovation and population through higher migration policy cannot create employment opportunities. be ignored. These being city congestion, higher house prices, falling job vacancy rates, declining Population policy now needs to focus access to essential community services and low on our nation’s ageing population wage growth. On the other hand, increasing our population, including through a well-managed skilled migration As in the past, our future prosperity is indelibly program, will expand our workforce capacity, linked to the nation’s ability to attract skilled support economic growth, increase taxation migrants of working age. Policies that restrict skilled revenue and help to offset the mounting welfare migration risk harming Australia’s future economic costs of our ageing population. A larger population prosperity and the standard of living of future helps lift demand for goods and services which in generations of Australians. turn generates employment, investment and gross And as we debate the scope of the nation’s domestic product (GDP) growth. future infrastructure programs, it is clear that Australia’s mini natural-population boom, housing our growing population is central to the inspired initially by the Howard Government’s federal government’s challenges. I’ll have more baby bonus of the 2000s, is ending. Population to say on how governments can improve housing policy now needs to focus on our nation’s ageing supply and affordability over coming editions population and the crucial role that net overseas of Housing. migration (NOM) will play in the years and In this edition, you’ll see some wonderful decades ahead. examples of our industry’s best work – winners of While immigration can be an emotionally charged the 2018 HIA–CSR Australian Housing Awards. topic of debate, and one that too often draws a Our judges consider design excellence, innovation, familiar, one-dimensional and simplistic narrative, material selection, workmanship, value for Australia needs a strong population and strong money and many other attributes. You won’t be immigration policy now more than ever. The 2015 disappointed with their decisions. MAY 2018 HOUSING 7 PRESIDENT’S REPORT