Phillip Barresi (Deakin, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is addressed to the Treasurer. Would the Treasurer inform the House of the latest ABS statistics on births and fertility rates? What policies has the government put in place which have helped families in my electorate of Deakin and right across Australia? Why is this important for the future?

Peter Costello (Higgins, Liberal Party, Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the honourable member for Deakin for his question. The Australian Bureau of Statistics released its demographic statistics for the June quarter 2006, which showed that in the year to June 2006 264,287 births were registered—a 3.3 per cent increase over the year before, and the highest number of births since 1971-72. That is the highest number of births in over 30 years. In addition, the total fertility rate, which is the number of live births per female over their reproductive life, rose from 1.78 to 1.83—the highest fertility rate in 11 years.

It is something to be welcomed by all Australians that the number of births has increased, and the fertility rate, which had been falling continuously since 1961, has actually bottomed and turned. We would be one of the few countries in the industrialised world—

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Manager of Opposition Business in the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Albanese interjecting

David Hawker (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The member for Grayndler!

Peter Costello (Higgins, Liberal Party, Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

which has actually had an increase in their fertility rate. I would encourage all Australians, as I have previously, to have one for mum, one for dad and one for the country, because it is a great response to—

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Manager of Opposition Business in the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Albanese interjecting

David Hawker (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Grayndler is warned!

Peter Costello (Higgins, Liberal Party, Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

the way in which the fertility rate has been declining. As we have focused Australians’ attention on the importance of the fertility rate, as we have focused Australians’ attention on the challenges of the ageing of the population, many people have changed their attitudes towards having a family, and I think that is a good thing. We should not overstate these changes. The replacement fertility rate is 2.1, so we are still substantially below that replacement rate. But unlike Europe, Japan and many other industrialised countries, ours is ticking up and not ticking down.

I also believe that the government’s policies in relation to families have been very important. I refer to the provision of extra childcare places, the introduction of the childcare rebate, the introduction of the maternity payment or baby bonus, and of course the increases in the rates of family benefits. Let me remind members of the House of this: every year, a payment of $600 per child per annum is received by the families of Australia. If you have two kids, it is $1,200; for three kids, it is $1,800—in a lump sum. Let me remind the House of one other thing: that is real money. It goes into the bank account; it comes out of the bank account. It can be used in exchange for goods and services. It is real money. You can even take it in cash.

We know that there were suggestions from the Labor Party, from another one of the frontbenchers auditioning to be shadow treasurer at the moment, the member for Lilley, that this money did not exist. The families of Australia know differently. They get it per child per annum—real money to help them with the costs of raising children in this society.