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Bernard Salt is widely regarded as one of Australia’s leading social commentators by business, the media and the broader community. He is the Managing Director of The Demographics Group, and he writes weekly columns for The Australian that deal with social, generational and demographic matters.

@BernardSalt

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DOWN OVERThe Weekend Australian Magazine

3D Render of a Topographic Map of Oceania and Australia. All source data is in the public domain. Color texture: Made with Natural Earth. http://www.naturalearthdata.com/downloads/10m-raster-data/10m-cross-blend-hypso/ Water texture: SRTM Water Body SWDB: https://dds.cr.usgs.gov/srtm/version2_1/SWBD/ Relief texture: GMTED 2010 data courtesy of USGS. URL of source image: https://topotools.cr.usgs.gov/gmted_viewer/viewer.htm

What if Australia had become a version of Africa?

In this boldy reimagined Australia, we would not be a single nation of 28 million – but long ago divvied up into a series of nation states founded by colonial powers.

Bernard Salt

CommentaryCommercial

Mature woman in active wear walking along the beach on a sunny morning

The rise of solo ‘sports’ shows how Aussie leisure is changing

Forget cricket or golf. The most popular participatory sport in Australia is now walking. Although, the rise of pickleball might give it a run for its money.

Bernard Salt

WHERE THERE’S A WILLThe Weekend Australian Magazine

Happy Couple standing in front of their new home. They are both wearing casual clothes and embracing. Rear view. The house is contemporary with a brick facade, driveway, balcony and a green lawn. The front door is also visible.

Australia, get ready for the great wealth transfer

The oldest Boomer this year is 79. By this age the body is sending out subtle and blunt signals that, well, this mortal life has an end point. As Millennials and Gen-Zs inherit, how will the country change?

Bernard Salt

SURVIVORS’ TALESThe Weekend Australian Magazine

Senior Caucasian Woman Celebrating her 103rd Birthday with a Cake, Surrounded by Family

The questions I want to ask Australians aged 100-plus

Today’s Australian centenarians are growing in net terms at a rate of roughly a thousand per year. There is something about this group that makes me curious.

Bernard Salt

DemographyBusiness

4 June 2025; 34 year olds on a gold background. Artwork by Emilia Tortorella. Sources: supplied. Ratio 4:3.

Golden age of 34 has power to determine what’s hot… for now

Hail the 34-year-old! They are now the most common Australian, but this slice of the millennial generation won’t be atop the demographic mountain for long.

Bernard Salt

LOOKING FORWARDThe Weekend Australian Magazine

Brisbane - Dec 02 2022:Passengers walking through Australian border force lines. The federal law enforcement agency responsible for border control enforcement, compliance and detention in Australia.

The country set to take over Britain as Australia’s top source of immigrants

Britain has held sway as this nation’s leading source of immigrants since 1788 – but a switcheroo is on its way.

Bernard Salt

COMMENTARYThe Weekend Australian Magazine

Investing for the future .. computer keyboard

We already vote, so why not try ‘interactive government’?

We have the technology to digitally engage all parts of the electorate. Checking in on voter sentiment could enable governments to make tough decisions in live time.

Bernard Salt

COMMENTARYThe Weekend Australian Magazine

People at the grocery store selecting milk

There’s a milk – and a political party – for everyone

In this world, deciding on your political allegiance is like buying a product that reflects on you and your personal brand.

Bernard Salt

MYSTERIOUS WAYSThe Weekend Australian Magazine

Little boy saying prayer before going to bed.

Family prayers, mass in Latin… my childhood was devout

What I regarded as normal as a kid growing up in the 1960s I have come to realise was unusual. But I recall it as a comforting experience.

Bernard Salt

DemographicsProperty

New housing estate in Australia growing city Melbourne. New development are constantly going up throughout the suburbs of Melbourne and many other capital cities around Australia.

How a booming population will reshape the nation’s cities

No major city in Australia apart from Melbourne will have the capacity over the next half century to deliver greenfield housing at the required scale within 30 km of the CBD.

Bernard Salt

Original URL: https://www.theaustralian.com.au/author/bernard-salt