Population Shock (In the National Interest)

• The four stages of the population shock and their alignment with the baby boomer life cycle.
• The economic consequences of population ageing, including slower growth, rising government debt, and increased inequality.
• The role of immigration policy in mitigating the effects of population ageing.

Abul is an economics and public policy graduate from the Australian National University and recently completed a PhD in population and immigration policy. From 1995 to 2007, he managed Australia’s migration program. He commissioned research on the demographic, economic and budgetary impact of immigration that was extensively used in policy development, including Australia’s first Intergenerational Report in 2002. This research led to major policy changes to boost Australia’s international education industry, skilled temporary migration and working holiday-makers as a pathway to an expanded permanent migration program. This slowed population ageing in Australia and made it a demographic outlier among developed nations – younger, more diverse and growing faster. Abul was awarded the Public Service Medal and the Centenary Medal for services to the development of Australian immigration policy. He is a frequent media commentator on population and immigration and their impact on Australia’s economic direction.