ABSTRACT
The global trend towards city living, together with population ageing, has precipitated significant economic, social, political and environmental shifts. Amongst other outcomes, these shifts have led to changes in family configurations and living arrangements. Some changes are directly related to family forms – notably delayed childbearing, increased divorce rates and higher incidence of re-partnering – while others are less directly related, including improved employment opportunities for women, delayed retirement and more complex migration patterns both within and between countries. These changes are also happening in highly urbanised Australia.
