Nick Brunsdon: Infometrics Principal Economist and Lead Demographer on our natural population growth falling to its lowest point since WWII

Another sign of New Zealand’s growing demographic problem. 

Stats show our natural population growth has fallen to 18,700 for the year to June – the lowest rate since World War II. 

Births are at their lowest since 2003, and the number of 25 to 34 year olds is down 1.7% – adding to our productivity woes. 

Infometrics’ Lead Demographer Nick Brunsdon told Mike Hosking the supply of young people around the world, and with other countries facing the same issue, we can’t expect to bring in an exponential number of migrants every year. 

He says industries will be forced to improve productivity through automation and machinery and treat workers as more of a scarce resource than something they can swap in and out as needed.  

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