The problem is that the standard of work that recently qualified tradesmen and Third World workers are able to achieve is so far below what's customarily acceptable that I can only see things getting worse.
If it's not pine, blueboard and gyprock then forget it, they can't cope...and they barely cope with the basic construction methods as it is, you want to cry when you see some of the work they do.
This isn't just my cranky old generational thesis either, talk to any tradie over 40 and it's the same story, most of the younger generations are not up to the task, they haven't received a proper education, they have no respect for their elders, they have no 'Get up and Go".
There is also the fact that there are simply less of them to go around because my generation was duped into delaying or rejecting child rearing.
We can't fill the gaps with foreigners and expect good results, they come trained to a different standard, they have ingrained bad habits that are impossible to break, as adults they can't be "ridden" like a youngster can in order to mould good work practices from an early age. Due to machismo and stubbornness they won't even take "constructive" criticism, they'll get angry, sulk, go slow or just disappear altogether, the Chinese are notorious for this type of behaviour, they're so macho that they typically won't take any instruction from Australians without flying off the handle.

The other point I neglected to mention is that immigrant parents, particularly Asians will work every hour god sends as tilers or plasterers or cleaners to ensure that their kids DON'T end up having to do the same type of work, there's no generational continuity there either, all we'll get down the track is another shortage of workers and legions of creaky, stooped old Asian men trundling off to work at 70.

We could all retire at 65 & live a reasonable life if Governments didn't squander our pension funds on illegals & overpay tens of thousands of public servants. There's plenty money it just doesn't get distributed fairly.
Labor in particular has a lot to answer for in that direction.

Lets solve the problem, instead of putting a band-aid on it...

Flipping the pyramid is an attempt to patch the fundamental problem... too few children! An aging population was caused by the Baby boomers failing to reproduce themselves... Even now, for every 2 adults, there are only 1.8 children being born!

We are slowly suiciding... not just economically, but literally!

We need 'natalist' policies. We need to have more children in Australia.

Why aren't we having enough?

1: Men don't want to become husbands/fathers anymore. Every city building has scores of 30ish professional, attractive single women, unable to get a man to say "marry me" Feminism, especially the dodgy the divorce courts have made men realise that fatherhood is stupid. Make marrige fair, and men will begin to marry again.

2: Recognise that children cost money. Wealthy parents spend big on their kids... lost wages (wife at home/part-time), school fees, violyn etc etc. Yet if you are a professional couple, you get almost nothing from the government to help with these costs. Meanwhile, women on welfare are bribed to more kids than they can look after.

Stop handing out money to poor people to have kids, and instead help professionals have the kids they want... make kids reduce your tax, instead of means-tested payments.

Help professionals have the kids they want, and what is stopping them having kids now.
If we did not have immigration we would not have the workforce needed here and now. 190,000 advertised jobs in AU as of 5.3.12
Indi ., what you need is to practice living on the pension so when the time comes it won't be a shock. If i got the bucket loads of money they pay these days, i would be stacking it high,

Professionals amd working parents have too few children because each kid costs too much.

It's not that they are poor, it is that every child means a big sacrifice... reducing the funds available for the other children and enjoying life.

There is a cross-over point where if you are on welfare, each kid massively increases your disposable income... (lets call it a 'profit' for each kid) and as your income goes up, each extra kid reduces that profit. Soon it becomes a loss and eventurally a massive loss.

It is not 'nice' to talk about children interms of profit, but under all the emotional layers, parents make the decision if they can 'afford' another kid, or will the sacrifices be too great.

For those on welfare, having lots of kids and never marrying maximises your income... for workers and professionals, each extra kid is a massive loss below below they are comfortable with...

While they really can, they feel that the sacrifices are too great, they feel that they can't 'afford' more kids.

The worst tragedy is that many men realise this and the dangers of divore for dads, and make the rational (but tragic) decision never to marry and never to have kids at all! With a solid income they can get all the female companionship you want without the costs. Leaving women missing out