Increasing the fertility rate - Australian experience

SGEP has an interesting article (from Today paper) on how Australia was able to increase its fertility rate to 1.0 (from 1.7) while Singapore continued to suffer a decline in the fertility rate. It analyses the difference in approach of Australia and Singapore.

We have often been quite proud (some people say that we are arrogant) about the Singapore approach - so here is an example of one approach that has failed quite badly. We need to be able to respond more positively to the facts (i.e. be pragmatic) and not dogmatic about our approach.

One important quality of Singapore is pragmatism. It seemed to have been abandoned when it come to "baby bonus" and fertility rate.

Tan Kin Lian

http://www.todayonline.com/Hotnews/EDC110205-0000138/More-babies,-but-was-it-the-bonus?