CEDA chairman and national president Ivan Deveson is calling for more policy initiatives to protect against the "economic tsunami" of population ageing.
In a speech to be delivered in Madrid on 19 October, Mr Deveson warns that countries that do not respond to ageing "will be left behind".
Mr Deveson is speaking at the 20th International Counterparts Conference. The conference brings CEDA together with similar organisations from around the world. Other speakers include IMF managing director Rodrigo de Rato, Columbia University's Professor Xavier Sala-i-Martin and Harvard's Professor Martin Feldstein.
"The tectonic forces of demography in the era ahead will redefine the status and well-being of countries," Mr Deveson says.
"Those countries that anticipate, develop and implement the appropriate policies and therefore avoid their own economic tsunamis, will prosper.
"Countries that do not take up the challenge of the fundamental changes now underway will be left behind."
Mr Deveson calls for policies based on the "three Ps" of growth in labour market participation, productivity and population. These include measures to promote lifelong learning and retraining, accelerate economic reform and raise national savings.
CEDA published a major report on ageing in 2004 and has continued to focus on issues of participation, productivity and population in publications and forums over the past two years.
For further information please contact:
John Harris
Corporate Relations Director
Phone 03 9652 8415
Email info@ceda.com.au
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