Babies a drag on the economy, report says

http://www.news.com.au/business/story/0,27753,24134255-5017313,00.html ^

[traumer]

FORGET those plans to have a third child for the country because further increases in the birth rate could harm the economy, the nation's productivity watchdog has warned.

A major analysis of the nation's increasing fertility rate said it was at its highest level for 25 years - but the Productivity Commission yesterday warned further increases may aggravate rather than solve the problem of the ageing of the population.

This is because it will shift women out of the workforce while they care for babies, depressing labour supply and reducing the taxation base as our population ages, the Daily Telegraph reported.

The small number of extra babies born would make little difference to the rate of population ageing, the commission said.

And the women having the babies would be exacerbating the financial impacts on the government of the ageing of the population because the tax breaks offered to parents to have children occur up front, while the cost savings of a bigger working population and bigger tax base from extra children are deferred until they are of working age.

[KansasGirl]

Isn’t socialism grand.

[SevenofNine]

Wagglebee I think this story be in your pro life list

[Virginia Ridgerunner]

This is because it will shift women out of the workforce while they care for babies, depressing labour supply and reducing the taxation base as our population ages, the Daily Telegraph reported.

It's always about the revenue...

[duckbutt]

Gotta have all adults in the family slaving away to pay their “fair share” of taxes —never mind about creating and nurturing future tax payers —naw, we need in the work force NOW! We need to confiscate 50% of your income NOW!

We need to give the money to those poor, underprivileged SAHM on welfare, doncha know....after all, their vote counts as much as yours, slave...

[TruthConquers]

Have some cheese with that whine!!! Argh!!

It would be much BETTER for our economy if there were more babies and moms staying home. The government will have to adjust. This country is FOR the people, not FOR the government.

[Brian S. Fitzgerald]

Demographics decides the victor.

[Sergio]

Funny how governments stand behind a woman’s right to choose when it comes to abortion, but not when it comes to a woman’s right to choose to have more children.

[Pete98]

Idiots! Soon the gov. won’t even HAVE a tax base if everyone raises one child or none at all.

[DallasDeb]

This is insanity. Sure, women out of the workforce might affect labor availability, but raising those babies costs money that is spent in the economy—clothes, medical, food, etc. I’ve never heard of anything so stupid in my life.

[LearsFool]

When these people look at you, they see an annuity, not a person.

[4yearlurker]

You are obsolete!!!

[lesser_satan]

A drag in the immediate term perhaps, as they consume a lot of resources and produce nothing. But what would happen to the economy in the long term if everybody stopped having kids?

[MrB]

Well, it’s about the revenue,

AND

the destruction of the traditional family, of course.

[Slings and Arrows]

Freerider ping?

[dfwgator]

Why don’t the members of the Productivity Commission put their money where their mouths are.

[Brian S. Fitzgerald]

The destruction of the traditional *Christian* family, of course.

What will fill the void? Starts with an "I"...

[bajabaja]

Australian government busybody should study the cost and carbon footprint of faulty government studies.

[TheWasteLand]

Productivity Commission yesterday warned further increases may aggravate rather than solve the problem of the ageing of the population.

This might be the stupidest thing I've ever read.

[gridlock]

Damn morons!