play2upnow.com.au

The Anzac Theme: During the week in April 2006 coinciding with Anzac Day we placed a number of ads. These ads were the start – but only the start – of a debate that we want to run all year to get the issue of our declining birth rate debated. Copies of the ads along with my original commentary appear elsewhere on this web site.

Why has our birth rate declined?

The first thing that we must say is that there has been a general trend, since the ‘70’s in most western–style democratic countries of a decline in births. It is not completely consistent across all of these countries – the Republic of Ireland for example, but the trend is clear.

We have all heard of the ‘Baby Boom’. The so-called Baby Boom occurred from shortly after World War II until the late ‘60’s. In France from about 1970 until 1975 the rate plummeted & was in fact called the “Baby Bust”.

The reasons for this phenomenon are not entirely known, despite what some special interest groups might say. What is known is that there are many reasons & the total suite of reasons is a very, very complex brew.

We will be inviting experts from many fields to discuss their theories. We will do our utmost to keep discussions as secular as possible, consistent with the reality that some special interest groups – such as anti-abortionists – can rightly say that abortion on demand has had some effect on birth rates. Their position however is no way near the answer to this crisis

We encourage academics, researchers & other interested parties to seek publication of their material on this website. We are most interested in subjects linked to the following:

• The cost of having children in Australia, particularly in relation to incremental costs, i.e. What the cost of a 3 rd child is compared to the first.
• Australian-based research on financial incentives to have a third child similar to the French model, with reference to price elasticity.
• The apparent increase in level of obsession with work.
• The relationship between childbirth & levels of education of the mother in Australia.
• The issue of vasectomies & childbirth and the statistical relevance (if any).
• Modelling systems that allow for greater freedom for women to exit & re-join the workforce & statistical evidence to back up the modelling.
• Factual data on the increasing rates of infertility in women as they approach their mid-30’s.
• Analysis of the many psychological factors that appear to make up a large part of the birth rate decline.
• Any other factors that interested parties feel will contribute to the debate.

In order to keep debate as rational as possible, submissions that are based on sound research with footnoting & source references are preferred. I have had quite a few lengthy submissions, which are very anecdotally based and therefore difficult to accept as sound. This is a shame, as there could still be some fundamental truth in what is said in them.

We will try to give as many people as possible an opportunity to express their views but we reserve the right to exclude submissions that are just loony. You will have to trust us!

In conclusion, I had no idea what I got myself into when I decided to spend some money on ads to stimulate debate. I have learnt a lot since Anzac Day but I still feel that selfishness is a factor in the decline in our birth rate, but probably only a contributory one.

We still have an awfully long way to go to get our population growth back to replacement levels. We cannot do this without the collective help of all Australians.

Gary Johnston