Intergenerational Report locks in mass migration forever

Monday 21 September 2026

In 2002, the Australian Treasury released the inaugural Intergenerational Report, which forecast net overseas migration (NOM) averaging 90,000 annually and the population reaching 25.3 million by 2042:

Source: 2002 Intergenerational Report

In 2003, the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) released its Population Projections 2002 to 2101, which included a baseline (Series B) forecast of the nation’s population at 26.4 million by 2051, based on an assumed NOM of 100,000 annually.

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About the author

Leith van Onselen is Chief Economist at the MB Fund and MB Super. He is also a co-founder of MacroBusiness. Leith has previously worked at the Australian Treasury, Victorian Treasury and Goldman Sachs.