Scary reason young Australians aren’t having children and it could have big implications for the country

New research has revealed that an alarming number of young Aussies are choosing not to become parents, blaming the current cost of living.

According to the latest data from Australian research agency RedBridge, more than half of 18 to 34-year-olds choose not to have children due to financial problems.

The data came from a survey of 2,000 Australians from the Millennial and Gen Z cohorts. It showed that only 35 percent have a university education and just under half do not own a home.

RedBridge director Kos Samaras said today’s youth are postponing life decisions that previous generations made without much thought.

The country’s birth rate currently stands at 1.6 babies per woman, well below the population replacement level of 2.1.

The government has said it wants to boost the dwindling population by easing pressure on the cost of living so that young Aussies will find it easier to start a family.

Millennial Laura Henshaw, 30, has discussed the issue regularly on her aptly titled podcast entitled Do I want kids?

She said that during her podcast she has spoken to more than a thousand people who are reluctant to become parents because of money problems.

Mr Samaras explained that financial strain was the biggest hurdle preventing many young people from even considering starting a family.

“The amount that younger people have to pay in mortgages or rent, they also have HECS debts and often live beyond their means,” he said. news.com.au.

Mr Samaras said it can take young people until their 30s or 40s before they become financially stable.

He said there will likely be a wave of people starting families later in life because having a baby in this economy can be financially crippling.

Another millennial Sam, 29, said she is open to having children, but she said yes must pay off her $100,000 HECS debt and own her own home first.

“You know, I can’t even afford grated cheese, which costs like $12 a bag these days,” she said ABC news on Tuesday.

“It’s the furthest thing from my mind right now. Which is ironic, considering my mother probably had me at my age.”

Ms Henshaw said she has spoken to more than 1,000 people who weren’t sold on becoming parents due to money issues

Treasurer Jim Chalmers told The morning edition last month that ‘it would be better if birth rates were higher’.

“I think people will leave it later. And sometimes that means you get a timeout. But there are a whole host of reasons why people’s preferences change. It’s expensive to raise children,” he said.

But now some women are wondering if they even want to have children.

Late last year, Australian model Ellie Gonsalves, 33, went viral for sharing a list of 117 reasons why she didn’t want to have children.

She emphasized that the list was very ‘personal’, but after years of being asked why she didn’t want to become a mother, she decided to put the extensive list online.

Her reasons included: hair loss after childbirth, the baby may poop inside you, your vagina will be different, your house will never be tidy, childbirth can cause rectal prolapse, and you will miss things you enjoy doing.

She also noted that children are your responsibility until you die, that they can be rude, bullies and turn into a serial killer.

“I’ve already received hundreds of DMs criticizing me, telling me how horrible and broken I am,” the reality star said.

“And while some of those things on my list are satirical, many of them are serious and factual. The societal pressure when it comes to this topic is really questionable and I think it’s unfair to people with different opinions.

“Very rarely do we see a voice supporting this because let’s face it, the public backlash may be too great.”

After years of being asked why she didn’t want to be a mother, Ms. Gonsalves decided to post the extensive list online

The list caused such a massive outcry that she ended up on The Project justifying her right not to have children.

Ms Gonsalves said she understands why women are not sold, saying having a baby today is different than it was 20 or 30 years ago.

“It’s clear from conversations with friends that many women choose to remain childfree due to a combination of concerns,” she said.

‘When considering having children in Australia’s current economy, people face several key issues such as job insecurity, high cost of living, childcare expenses, education costs, work-life balance issues, challenges in of mental health, environmental concerns, a lack of social support, and inadequate government policies.”