New Zealand's older residents will likely become a backstop if our population growth continues to fall, and workers aren't replaced.  

Our estimated natural population increase —births minus deaths— is the lowest since the 1940s during World War II. 

EMA Head of Advocacy & Strategy Alan McDonald told Ryan Bridge policies incentivising people to have children don't work, so the workforce will end up relying on immigrants and older people.  

He says New Zealand's one of the highest aging populations in the world, so we may have to look at retraining older people to fill workforce gaps. 

LISTEN ABOVE  

New Zealand's older residents will likely become a backstop if our population growth continues to fall, and workers aren't replaced. &nbsp;
Our estimated natural population increase —births minus deaths— is the lowest since the 1940s during World War II.&nbsp;
EMA Head of Advocacy &amp; Strategy Alan McDonald told Ryan Bridge policies incentivising people to have children don't work, so the workforce will end up relying on immigrants and older people. &nbsp;
He says New Zealand's one of the highest aging populations in the world, so we may have to look at retraining older people to fill workforce gaps.&nbsp;
LISTEN ABOVE &nbsp;

A fresh and intelligent start to your day - catch the very latest international and domestic news developments, sport, entertainment and business on Early Edition with Ryan Bridge, on Newstalk ZB.

A fresh and intelligent start to your day - catch the very latest international and domestic news developments, sport, entertainment and business on Early Edition with Ryan Bridge, on Newstalk ZB.

Early Edition with Ryan Bridge

Alan McDonald: EMA Head of Advocacy & Strategy on natural population growth hitting the lowest point since World War II

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/dcca3c66-20d3-4954-8df7-b4ab00045ab8/transcript