The Economy, Stupid Australians will live longer in 2066, but in what kind of world?
Sep 24, 2026
Michael Janda, ABC Business Editor and veteran economics journalist, joins Aruna Sathanapally, Grattan Institute chief and public-policy economist. They explore longer lives, falling birth rates and the rising cost of care. Could AI and robotics spark a productivity boom? Will automation widen generational inequality? The conversation also turns to climate resilience, migration, geopolitical shocks and Australia’s fiscal future.
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Why Ageing Has Been Less Economically Frightening
- Earlier ageing forecasts underestimated women’s and older Australians’ workforce participation.
- Education, gender norms and paid care replacing unpaid household labour expanded employment beyond Treasury’s expectations.
The Real Ageing Crisis Starts After 85
- The urgent dependency challenge begins around the oldest old, not at the conventional retirement age of 65.
- About half of Australians over 85 need help with core activities, and that population is projected to triple.
Healthy Years Matter More Than Longer Lives
- Longer lives matter less than the share lived independently and healthily.
- Preventative healthcare could reduce pressure from labour-intensive hospitals and aged care.