CANBERRA, Dec. 12 (Xinhua) -- Australia's fertility rate has fallen to the lowest level in recorded history despite an uptick in the number of babies being born.
According to data released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) on Wednesday there were 315,147 births registered in Australia in 2018, increasing by 1.94 percent (or 6,005 births) from 2017.
However, in 2018, Australia's total fertility rate (TFR) was 1.74 babies per woman, decreasing from 2.02 babies per woman since 2008. The Sydney Morning Herald (SMH) said in its report it is the lowest on record.
The median age for mothers and fathers rose to 31.4 and 33.5 years respectively, both all-time highs.
The data could present significant problems for the government, which has predicated its long-term budget projections on the fertility rate rising to 1.9 by 2021 and remaining there for at least a decade.
Kristina Keneally, the opposition Labor Party's home affairs spokesperson, said that Treasurer Josh Frydenberg, who will deliver a mid-year budget update next week, has questions to answer that the baby boom has "gone bust."
"Australian couples just aren't in the mood to generate a baby boom, and who can blame them?" she said, according to SMH's report.
"Low wages and high child care costs under this third term Liberal government aren't very attractive."
