Mark McCrindle of McCrindle Research presented this at The Australian Communities Forum in November 2012 in Sydney. It outlines 5 key demographic shifts occurring in Australia, a demographic snapshot of what Australia would look like if it were 100 households, and 8 key factors around how communities operate.

3. How would you rate the current strength and
health of Australian communities today?
1. Better than ever with a bright
future 61%
2. Travelling well, with a somewhat
positive outlook
3. Some problems emerging, with
more challenges ahead
4. Not in good shape at all, and I’m 24%
pessimistic about the years
11%
ahead. 5%
1 2 3 4

5. 3 1
4 2

6. Which of the following best represents
your organisation or community group?
1. Many of our people are there from a friendship /
family connection (relational) and our purpose is
30% more around belief and ethos
2. Many of our people are there from a friendship /
family connection (relational) and our purpose is
8%
more interest based / practical in focus
3. Our people are drawn by the function rather than
37% existing relationships and our purpose is more around
belief and ethos
4. Our people are drawn by the function rather than
25% existing relationships and our purpose is more interest
based / practical in focus

8. DEFINING THE
AUSTRALIAN IDENTITY
5 SHIFTS

20. AUSSIE SLANG: A QUIZ
Joe Blake (44%)
Trouble and strife (34%)
Frog and toad (25%)
Dog and bone (20%)
Do the Harold Holt (10%)

29. BEST LOVED AUSTRALIANISMS
Spit the dummy (58%)
Cunning as a dunny rat (23%)
Dry as a pommy’s towel (13%)
Cross as a frog in a sock (8%)
Blind as a welder’s dog (6%)

30. DEFINING THE
AUSTRALIAN COMMUNITY

35. Even if your organisation or community group
engages with all age groups, which of the
following represent a particular focus you have?
1. Under 18s (Gen Z) 28%
2. 18-32 (Gen Y) 23%
3. 33-46 (Gen X) 19%
4. 47-64 (Baby Boomers) 14%
5. 65+ (Builders)
8% 8%
6. We have no particular
age focus at all
1 2 3 4 5 6

36. Even if your organisation or community group engages
with all age groups, which of the following ...
7%
Under 18s (... 15%
80%
6%
21%
18-32 (Gen Y) 10%
20%
29%
21%
33-46 (Gen X) 45%
0%
24%
14%
47-64 (Baby... 5%
0%
12%
7%
65+ (Builde... 10%
0%
12%
29%
We have no ... 15%
0%
18%
Our people are drawn by the function rather than existing relationships and our purpose is more interest based / practical in focus
Our people are drawn by the function rather than existing relationships and our purpose is more around belief and ethos
Many of our people are there from a friendship / family connection (relational) and our purpose is more interest based / practical in
focus
Many of our people are there from a friendship / family connection (relational) and our purpose is more around belief and ethos

49. With Australia’s ever-changing cultural
diversity, do you have particular strategies
or an intentionality to engage with this
cultural diversity?
1. Yes, primary focus for us 40%
2. Yes, significant focus 31%
3. Yes, small focus
4. No, not at all a focus 18%
11%
1 2 3 4

50. With Australia’s ever-changing cultural diversity, do you
have particular strategies or an intent...
31%
5%
Yes, primar... 20%
6%
31%
25%
Yes, signif... 40%
31%
23%
Yes, small ... 40%
20%
56%
15%
No, not at ... 30%
20%
6%
Our people are drawn by the function rather than existing relationships and our purpose is more interest based / practical in focus
Our people are drawn by the function rather than existing relationships and our purpose is more around belief and ethos
Many of our people are there from a friendship / family connection (relational) and our purpose is more interest based / practical in
focus
Many of our people are there from a friendship / family connection (relational) and our purpose is more around belief and ethos

54. How much of an impact has the GFC and
subsequent financial downturn had on your
operations (including donors and funding challenges,
more client / community demand, rising costs and
organisational budgetary challenges etc).
1.Massive impact 43%
2.Significant impact 32%
3.Slight impact
4.No impact at all 17%
8%
1 2 3 4

55. How much of an impact has the GFC and subsequent
financial downturn had on your operations (inclu...
14%
6%
Massive imp... 0%
11%
29%
25%
Significant... 20%
50%
36%
Slight impact 50%
80%
28%
21%
No impact a... 19%
0%
11%
Our people are drawn by the function rather than existing relationships and our purpose is more interest based / practical in focus
Our people are drawn by the function rather than existing relationships and our purpose is more around belief and ethos
Many of our people are there from a friendship / family connection (relational) and our purpose is more interest based / practical in
focus
Many of our people are there from a friendship / family connection (relational) and our purpose is more around belief and ethos

57. THE MOST ASKED
QUESTIONS IN AUSTRALIA
What is Gangnam style?
What is love?
Why is the sky blue?
Why is my internet so slow?
When is daylight savings?
When is Fathers’ Day?

58. THE MOST ASKED
QUESTIONS IN AUSTRALIA
How is coal formed?
How is honey made?
Where is Chuck Norris?
Where is my iPhone?
Who is Julian Assange?
Who is Kony?