Today was the first meeting of the Treasurers’ Forum on Population as part of the Council on Federal Financial Relations, which saw all levels of government come together to discuss how we can better plan for Australia’s changing population.
Population is an important issue that requires governments to cooperate and coordinate if we are to deliver the right outcomes for all Australians as our population grows.
The forum agreed to work together to develop a national population and planning framework, for consideration by COAG later this year, which will set out a practical approach to improve population planning and management.
As a first step, the forum agreed to immediately establish two working groups on Regional Analysis, and Data and Forecasting.
These working groups will consider issues including greater data sharing, population growth projections and skills requirements.
This will provide an opportunity for all levels of government to improve the way we work together and ensure that Australia can continue to enjoy the benefits of population growth while addressing the challenges it raises.
We thank the State and Territory Treasurers and the President of the Australian Local Government Association David O’Loughlin for their constructive contributions, and look forward to continuing to work together to manage Australia’s growing population.