Australia's cultural embrace of Asia — from Korean pop music and beauty regimens to Asian food and Eastern medicine — is expected to swell with the rise of generation alpha.

Brisbane-based futurist Tony Hunter says Australia will become increasingly influenced by the generation of people born between 2010 and 2024.

Futurists analyse social trends, emerging technologies, demographics and other broad influences to understand how the future may unfold. 

Hunter says generation alpha are unique in a particular way.

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The Asian influence on Australia will be driven by the generation alpha conversation that occurs online, but migration will also play a key part. 

University of Queensland demographer associate professor Elin Charles-Edwards says that Australia's migration program has been geared towards what is seen as practical work.

"There is definitely a focus on professional occupations," Dr Charles-Edwards says.

"There are special talent visas for artists and musicians if they have a global profile, but it is based on professions. 

"This was the bargain that the Australian government made with the Australian people to have a migration program focused around those skills that were seen as practically beneficial."

The children of nurses and pharmacists, of course, occasionally embrace a career in the arts. 

The local audiences they sing, joke, write or paint for in the next 10 to 20 years will be more tapped into Asia than ever before.

Read more at https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-03-03/how-asian-culture-will-influence-australia/106364002