2004 Group of Eight Human Resources and Industrial Relations Conference Forum: Work and life values in a world of choice

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2004 Group of Eight Human Resources and
Industrial Relations ConferenceForum Work and
life values in a world of choice
Bernard Salt Author The Big Shift Partner KPMG
Australia 19 August 2004
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From the bush out with RM Williams in with
Billabong Rip Curl

• Suburban culture emerged during the 20th Century
• Provincial coastal culture now ascendant
• Underpinned by lifestyle-seeking baby boomers
• Edna Everage Neighbours 1985 Kath Kim 2002

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Baby boomers just wont die!
6,000,000
5,000,000
4,000,000
Population
3,000,000
2,000,000
1,000,000
0
1946
1951
1956
1961
1966
1971
1976
1981
1986
1991
1996
2001
2006
2011
2021
2031
2041
2051
Year
Source ABS Censuses ABS Series B Projections
September 2003
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It doesnt get any better after 43-48
Boomers at their peak until June 2006 then the
slide begins
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Boom Baby Boom get in the groove now

• Born July 1946 June 1961
• Aged 43-58 in 2004
• Number 4.1 million
• Fee free tertiary education 19721987
• Married by 23 left home at 18
• Property boom 19871989 and 19992003
• Did not consider not having children
• Youth culture yielded Free Love
• Hippies, Punks, Dinks, Yuppies and now
  Seachangers
• Peak income earning period 1996 - 2006
• About 2015 redirect national budget towards PBS

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Generation Xcluded

• Born July 1961 June 1976
• Aged 28 43 in 2004
• Number 4.4 million
• HECS from 1987 live with mum and dad
• Married by 30
• Missed the property boom 19992003
• No social prescription to have children
• Forged urban chic and the shift downtown
• Peak income earning period 20112021
• About 2015 tell Boomers you should have
  provisioned better for retirement in your time,
  not ours