Population projections need to be continually updated as new information becomes available. In addition, it is important to distinguish between the projected population which will be attained at a given date, such as 2041, and the ultimate level of population. For example, with an assumption of a total fertility rate of 1.865 children per woman and annual net migration of 50,000, ABS projections published in 1996 and additional projections in 1997 suggest a population of 24.5 million in 2051

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... an ultimate population of more than 25 million. The analysis in this article also puts Australia's various population problems into a proper perspective and tries to direct attention away from the unnecessary preoccupation with population decline. Copyright. Monash University and the author/s