The population of older people in Australia is becoming
increasingly diverse in terms of cultural and linguistic
background, says a report released today by the Australian
Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW).
Diversity among older Australians in capital cities
1996-2011 shows that the proportion of older people who are
from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds aged 65 and
over is projected to increase from 18% in 1996 to 23% by 2011.
This equates to a 66% increase over a 15-year period, compared
to a 23% increase for older people born in Australia.
The report focuses on capital cities as the vast majority (80%)
of people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds in
Australia live in one of these cities.
Head of the AIHW's Welfare Division, Dr Diane Gibson, says that
indications are that the increase in number of older people from
culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds will occur across
all capital cities between 1996 and 2011, although growth rates
will vary from one capital city to another.
'The most substantial increases numerically are projected to
occur in Melbourne (up 81,900), Sydney (up 80,700) and Perth (up
15,200),' said Dr Gibson.
'In percentage terms, however, the fastest growing populations
are projected to be in Darwin (increasing by 129% over the 15-year
period) and Canberra (up 82%), with populations in Sydney and
Melbourne also growing significantly (both up by 73%).'
Dr Gibson says that while many birthplace groups are common
across all the capital cities, the mix does vary.
'In all capital cities except Hobart and Darwin, people born in
Italy made up the largest proportion of this older population in
1996, and according to projections, will continue to do so in
2011.
'Greece, Germany and the Netherlands also have substantial
numbers of older immigrants in many cities.
'Looking more specifically at some of the differences, only in
Sydney is China among the top three birthplaces, whereas Melbourne
has a relatively large older Maltese community. India is among the
top three birthplaces only in Perth, and Indonesia only in
Darwin.
'Interestingly,' said Dr Gibson, 'the Greek-born and
Croatian-born older communities are among the top three fastest
growing communities in a majority of the capital cities.
'Conversely, numbers of Polish-born older people are decreasing
in all capital cities, due to a lack of continued migration
following an initial wave after World War II.'
16 September 2004
Further information: Dr Diane Gibson, AIHW,
tel. 02 6244 1190 or mobile 0407 915 851.
For media copies of the report: Publications
Officer, AIHW, tel. 02 6244 1032.
Availability: Check the AIHW
Publications Catalogue for availability of Diversity Among
Older Australians in Capital Cities 1996-2011, September
2004.