The Future of Us

Demography is far more important than destiny.

By tracing connections between a population’s past and present, demographers can foresee its future. The true wonder of demography, though, is not its ability to predict the future but to shape it. With energy and passion, demographer Liz Allen sets out the potential paths to make Australia better.

Bold, fearless and revealing,The Future of Us does more than help you find your inner statistician. Looking beyond births, deaths and marriages, Allen takes apart inequality, migration, tax and home ownership. She also dissects how the word ‘population’ became so charged, daring to ask what Australia might look like in 20 years if we had zero immigration.

The Future of Us gives demography a makeover and sets out future possibilities for a better us … just like a Choose Your Own Adventure, but for the nation.

‘Liz Allen’s romp around Australia’s demography is highly readable, and makes a compelling case for the benefits of immigration and the need for a comprehensive population policy.’  — Michelle Grattan

‘Put on that superpower cape. Liz Allen’s heartfelt study of how Australians live, die and migrate takes you from now to tomorrow and makes a plea for rethinking how we talk about migration and a renewed Australia. Forget the hate and hyperbole and replace it with hope.’ — Jenna Price