In this speech to the Stanford Club in Sydney, Business Council of Australia Chief Executive Katie Lahey explains that the BCA’s main interest in population growth stems from the relationship between population and economic growth.

The Business Council of Australia’s starting point is that Australia must aim for strong economic growth as the foundation for future prosperity.

A higher population future for Australia does present challenges in terms of better managing the environmental and infrastructure implications. These issues need to be addressed. Equally, however, it needs to be acknowledged that a future based on lower population growth also presents challenges.

Australia must take charge of its population future and put in place a long-term approach to managing both the benefits and costs of sustained population growth. If we are not proactive, we will find ourselves on the back foot and ill-prepared in the face of demographic trends now in train here and around the globe.

Population and Prosperity: Address to the Stanford Club by BCA Chief Executive Katie Lahey