Australia Experiences Sharpest Drop in Birth Rate Since the 1970s

The decline in births is more pronounced in the capital cities.

A young family at their home in the Eastern Suburbs in Sydney, Australia, on April 20, 2020. Lisa Maree Williams/Getty Images

Australia is in the midst of a baby recession, with some experts attributing the record low birth rate to the cost-of-living pressures.

An analysis by KPMG Australia shows the country’s fertility rate fell by 4.6 percent yearly, while the number of births in 2023 was the lowest since 2006.