​Australia's ageing population is creating a long-term structural shift in the local government workforce. As demand for health care, care services, infrastructure and public service grows, local governments will face increasing pressure to deliver more services while managing workforce change. As the 2026 Intergenerational Report highlights, this is more than just a demographic trend. It is a workforce and service delivery challenge that will shape how governments, employers and workplaces respond in the years ahead.

For local government, this matters because national demographic change is felt most directly at the community level. Local governments must respond both to changing community needs and to the workforce pressures involved in delivering services.

This trend is being driven by lower fertility rates, delayed family formation and smaller family sizes, together with longer life expectancy resulting from better health care, higher living standards and medical advances. The scale of the change is reflected in the 2026 Intergenerational Report, which projects Australia's median age will rise from 38.6 years in 2025–26 to 45.0 years by 2062–63.

The report also shows that this is a long-term structural change, not a short-term fluctuation. The number of Australians aged 65 and over is projected to keep rising, while the 85-plus cohort is expected to triple by 2065–66. At the same time, employment in the health care and social assistance sector has already grown by 13 per cent since 2023 and is projected to grow by a further 23 per cent by 2035, reflecting the broader shift towards care and service-based work.

This demographic change has a two-pronged effect. Local governments will face rising demand for accessible infrastructure, local services, public amenities and community support. At the same time, many of the workers delivering those services will themselves be older and may be more exposed to workforce pressures.

From a work health and safety perspective, this creates a clear challenge. Many local government roles remain physically demanding, especially in outdoor, operational, maintenance and manual work. As more workers remain in these roles for longer, councils may face greater risks of fatigue, strain, musculoskeletal injury and longer recovery times.

Local governments can respond by focusing on prevention rather than waiting for injury to occur. Safer workplaces are built through better job design, early reporting of hazards, practical adjustments to physically demanding work and a stronger focus on injury prevention over time. Local governments should also create conditions where workers feel confident raising safety concerns before they become claims.

Australia's ageing population is changing both the communities local governments serve and the workforce they rely on. This is a long-term national shift that will shape demand, services and labour markets for decades. For local government, that means the issue is more than demographic. It is also a work health and safety issue. As demand rises and workers remain in physically demanding roles for longer, local governments will need to focus on job design, early reporting and practical workplace adjustments. If members get this right, workers will be protected while maintaining strong, reliable community services.

For more information about our injury prevention services, please contact our LGIS WorkCare Services manager at health@lgiswa.com.au

For more information about the WHS implications of this trend, please contact our People Risk team at peoplerisk@lgiswa.com.au.