Jodie Belyea (Dunkley, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I'm pleased to be speaking on this motion by the member for Hughes. Fertility decline in Australia is not an issue unique to Australia. It reflects a global issue seen in most developed countries across the world. The total fertility rate over the past 30 years has slowly dropped from 1.86 in 1993 to 1.63 births per woman this year, 2024. This, of course, presents many complex challenges in a society like Australia, and there is no easy fix. Part of the reason for the decline in fertility is that more women are working than ever before, a trend that continues to increase.

Women's participation in paid work has increased considerably over the last 50 years. Women made up almost half the paid workforce in Australia in 2020 compared to around 30 per cent in 1966. Here in Australia, the gender pay gap continues to narrow, with the pay gap now at 21.1 per cent, down from 21.7 per cent last year. This is a good thing.

So why do we have the issue of a decline in fertility rates? Financial pressures on families, the cost of living and housing affordability are massive, which means more women need to work, while other social issues such as the impact of climate change and the increasing threat of global conflict are things that generation Z and millennials deeply care about when they consider whether to have a family or not. I have spent time talking to gen Zs and millennials about whether they wish to have children or not. Many of them are concerned about the society they would be bringing their children into. This is something I'm deeply concerned about as I ponder what my 18-year-old son is going to inherit and have to deal with in terms of climate change and global conflict. This world is a complex and increasingly worrying place to live in, and our children know that because of the widespread dissemination of information through social media.

Last night, I watched a program on the ABC that also talked about the impact of lifestyle on fertility rates for both women and men. According to the research, about 30 per cent of women and men have issues with infertility. Infertility is increasing as a result of lifestyle, stress and diet. Research also indicates the use of plastics and the leaching of chemicals into our food are impacting fertility rates. But, of course, it must be acknowledged that a large reason why more women are working is due to economic pressures on households and individuals. The cost of raising children in Australia has risen dramatically.

So what are we doing about it? The government knows that people are doing it tough right now. Our economic plan is all about helping people with their cost of living while fighting inflation. Bringing down inflation means we can bring down costs for households. The government's delivery on cost-of-living measures includes a tax cut for every taxpayer and energy bill relief, cheaper medicines and more bulk-billing GP visits, and cheaper childcare and early childhood educator pay rises. All of this is helping Australians earn more and keep more of what they earn. We've also made really good progress in the fight against inflation. It has more than halved since we came into power. Inflation had a six in front of it when we came into office, and now it has a two.

As homeownership rates have declined and rents have soared, younger generations face a dilemma of choosing between financial security and starting a family. This is particularly tough in municipalities like Dunkley. That's why the government is investing $32 billion into building more homes for Australians. In contrast, Peter Dutton and the Greens are blocking housing investment. In the middle of a housing crisis, Peter Dutton has committed to cutting $19 billion from housing. There are many other measures we are taking to address the fertility issue and support more people to have families. There is so much more we need to do, and we will do it.

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