Building Trust

 By Tom Goater, National Accounts Director, Public Sector People A few weeks ago, I attended the Australian Local Government Association National General Assembly in Canberra, where one of the standout sessions at the Urban Forum came from Simon Kuestenmacher of The Demographics Group. Simon has a rare ability to make population data feel less like a spreadsheet and more like a preview of what is heading our way. While his presentation focused primarily on urban Australia, the implications extend well beyond local government. The central message was clear: Australia is likely to continue growing and prospering, but that growth will place increasing pressure on housing, infrastructure, public services and, importantly, the workforce expected to deliver them. Australia’s long-term outlook remains strong Australia’s economy may be relatively simple compared with some global economies, but mining, agriculture, tourism, international education and our proximity to Asia’s growing middle class continue to work in our favour. Migration also gives Australia an advantage over many other developed economies by helping replenish the working-age population. However, more people also means greater demand for housing, services and infrastructure, as well as higher expectations of government. Australia’s population is not simply growing. It is moving, ageing and reshaping our cities at the same time. Growth will remain concentrated around major cities Inner-city areas will continue to attract migrants, international students and other new arrivals. Urban-fringe communities are likely to absorb more families looking for larger and more affordable homes, while established middle suburbs may experience some of the most significant change as larger properties are gradually redeveloped into higher-density housing. These changes will create different challenges across different communities. While some areas will need to accommodate rapid population growth, others will face ageing populations, changing service requirements and the renewal of established infrastructure. The impact will be felt across every level of government For local councils, population growth means increasing demand across planning, roads, transport, open space, waste, libraries, aquatic centres, community facilities and ageing infrastructure. For state governments, it means balancing ambitious housing targets with investment in transport, health, education and utilities, while maintaining community confidence in the planning system. For the Commonwealth, it means recognising that migration, skills, housing, infrastructure funding and productivity policy are deeply interconnected. Decisions made in one area will inevitably affect delivery in another. The workforce challenge may be as significant as the housing challenge Australia’s population is ageing, large numbers of experienced workers are approaching retirement and demand for government services will continue to rise. Aged care may be one of the most visible examples, but similar workforce pressures are being experienced across planning, engineering, health, technology, infrastructure, project delivery, community services and public administration. Government organisations will increasingly be expected to deliver more with a workforce that is becoming harder to find. This makes workforce planning just as important as infrastructure and land-use planning. It also makes AI, automation and digital transformation increasingly important—not simply as cost-saving initiatives, but as practical tools that can help a constrained workforce remain productive and continue delivering essential services. Growth is likely to happen regardless For councils and other government organisations, the opportunity is to remain involved in shaping that growth. Councils that engage early with developers, state agencies and their communities will have a stronger opportunity to influence where growth occurs, what infrastructure supports it and how local liveability is protected. Those left outside the process may still find themselves responsible for managing the consequences. This makes early collaboration, long-term planning and clear communication essential. An opportunity for government employers The presentation also challenged the assumption that younger workers are inherently less loyal. Housing costs and reduced geographic mobility mean many younger Australians are changing jobs less frequently and looking for employment opportunities closer to home. Government may not always compete with the private sector on salary alone, but it can offer purpose, stability, flexibility, professional development and the opportunity to make a visible contribution to the community. That is a compelling employee value proposition, provided government organisations are confident enough to promote it and can deliver a positive candidate and employee experience. Connecting population, infrastructure and workforce planning The biggest takeaway from the session was that none of these challenges can be addressed in isolation. Housing policy affects workforce mobility. Migration policy affects infrastructure demand. Planning decisions affect service delivery. Technology affects productivity. Ultimately, workforce capability determines whether governments can deliver the commitments they have made. Australia’s future remains full of opportunity, but making the most of it will require stronger coordination across all levels of government and a much closer connection between population planning, infrastructure planning and workforce planning. Growth is not only a planning challenge. It is a workforce challenge. Turning insight into workforce capability For government organisations considering what these trends mean for their delivery plans, the next step is turning demographic insight into practical workforce capability. This means looking beyond immediate vacancies and considering the skills, leadership capacity and specialist expertise that will be required over the coming years. At Public Sector People, we work exclusively with government and for-purpose organisations, supporting workforce requirements across permanent recruitment, temporary and contract appointments, executive search and specialist project delivery. Our teams partner with organisations across Australia to understand their workforce challenges, identify critical capability gaps and provide recruitment solutions aligned with both immediate delivery requirements and longer-term workforce plans. Whether an organisation is responding to population growth, delivering new infrastructure, managing service demand or preparing for a changing workforce, early workforce planning will be essential.