The Australian Economy by Year (1950–2026)
Select any calendar year from 1950 to 2026 to inspect a statistical snapshot of the Australian economy-including inflation, unemployment, real GDP growth, interest rates, population, exchange rates, and preceding/following multi-year trajectories.
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2026 2025 2024 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996 1995 1994 1993 1992 1991 1990 1989 1988 1987 1986 1985 1984 1983 1982 1981 1980 1979 1978 1977 1976 1975 1974 1973 1972 1971 1970 1969 1968 1967 1966 1965 1964 1963 1962 1961 1960 1959 1958 1957 1956 1955 1954 1953 1952 1951 1950
Master Annual Macroeconomic Ledger (1950–2026)
Click any year for its full 12-indicator profile and 10-year context window charts
| Year | CPI Inflation | Unemployment | Real GDP Growth | 10Y Bond Yield | Cash Rate | Population | AUD/USD | Historical Milestone |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 → | 4.0% | 4.4% | 2.3% | 4.94% | 4.36% | 27.92M | US$0.703 | - |
| 2025 → | 2.8% | 4.2% | 2.0% | 4.37% | 3.60% | 27.79M | US$0.645 | Disinflation & monetary policy recalibration |
| 2024 → | 3.2% | 4.0% | 1.0% | 4.21% | 4.35% | 27.39M | US$0.660 | - |
| 2023 → | 5.6% | 3.7% | 2.1% | 3.94% | 4.35% | 26.96M | US$0.665 | - |
| 2022 → | 6.6% | 3.7% | 4.2% | 3.20% | 3.05% | 26.32M | US$0.695 | Post-pandemic inflation surge & rapid RBA tightening cycle |
| 2021 → | 2.9% | 5.1% | 5.4% | 1.48% | 0.10% | 25.77M | US$0.752 | - |
| 2020 → | 0.8% | 6.5% | -2.0% | 0.92% | 0.10% | 25.63M | US$0.691 | COVID-19 pandemic shock & 0.10% cash rate floor |
| 2019 → | 1.6% | 5.2% | 2.0% | 1.50% | 0.75% | 25.52M | US$0.695 | - |
| 2018 → | 1.9% | 5.3% | 2.8% | 2.68% | 1.50% | 25.15M | US$0.748 | - |
| 2017 → | 1.9% | 5.6% | 2.4% | 2.64% | 1.50% | 24.76M | US$0.767 | - |
| 2016 → | 1.3% | 5.7% | 2.7% | 2.34% | 1.50% | 24.39M | US$0.744 | - |
| 2015 → | 1.5% | 6.1% | 2.3% | 2.72% | 2.00% | 23.98M | US$0.753 | - |
| 2014 → | 2.5% | 6.1% | 2.6% | 3.66% | 2.50% | 23.64M | US$0.903 | - |
| 2013 → | 2.5% | 5.7% | 2.2% | 3.72% | 2.50% | 23.30M | US$0.968 | - |
| 2012 → | 1.7% | 5.2% | 3.8% | 3.38% | 3.03% | 22.93M | US$1.036 | - |
| 2011 → | 3.4% | 5.1% | 2.8% | 4.88% | 4.30% | 22.52M | US$1.032 | China mining investment & Terms of Trade supercycle peak |
| 2010 → | 2.9% | 5.2% | 2.4% | 5.37% | 4.75% | 22.17M | US$0.920 | - |
| 2009 → | 1.8% | 5.6% | 1.9% | 5.04% | 3.74% | 21.87M | US$0.792 | - |
| 2008 → | 4.4% | 4.2% | 2.6% | 5.82% | 4.35% | 21.48M | US$0.853 | Global Financial Crisis (GFC) & emergency rate cuts |
| 2007 → | 2.4% | 4.4% | 4.4% | 5.99% | 6.75% | 21.02M | US$0.839 | - |
| 2006 → | 3.5% | 4.8% | 2.6% | 5.59% | 6.25% | 20.63M | US$0.753 | - |
| 2005 → | 2.7% | 5.0% | 3.0% | 5.34% | 5.50% | 20.31M | US$0.762 | - |
| 2004 → | 2.4% | 5.4% | 4.1% | 5.59% | 5.25% | 20.05M | US$0.737 | - |
| 2003 → | 2.8% | 5.9% | 3.0% | 5.37% | 5.23% | 19.83M | US$0.652 | - |
| 2002 → | 3.0% | 6.4% | 4.2% | 5.84% | 4.75% | 19.61M | US$0.544 | - |
| 2001 → | 4.4% | 6.8% | 2.6% | 5.62% | 4.28% | 19.39M | US$0.517 | - |
| 2000 → | 4.4% | 6.3% | 3.1% | 6.31% | 6.25% | 19.14M | US$0.582 | Introduction of the 10% Goods and Services Tax (GST) |
| 1999 → | 1.4% | 6.9% | 4.4% | 6.01% | 5.00% | 18.92M | US$0.645 | - |
| 1998 → | 0.9% | 7.7% | 4.7% | 5.49% | 4.76% | 18.71M | US$0.628 | - |
| 1997 → | 0.2% | 8.4% | 4.7% | 6.95% | 5.00% | 18.51M | US$0.742 | - |
| 1996 → | 2.6% | 8.5% | 4.0% | 8.21% | 6.18% | 18.33M | US$0.783 | - |
| 1995 → | 4.6% | 8.5% | 3.0% | 9.21% | 7.50% | 18.12M | US$0.741 | - |
| 1994 → | 1.9% | 9.7% | 4.9% | 9.04% | 7.05% | 17.89M | US$0.731 | - |
| 1993 → | 1.8% | 10.9% | 3.9% | 7.28% | 4.75% | 17.72M | US$0.680 | RBA formalises 2–3% inflation targeting |
| 1992 → | 1.0% | 10.7% | 2.6% | 9.22% | 5.75% | 17.56M | US$0.734 | - |
| 1991 → | 3.2% | 9.6% | -1.0% | 10.69% | 8.50% | 17.38M | US$0.779 | Early 1990s recession ("The recession we had to have") |
| 1990 → | 7.3% | 6.9% | 1.5% | 13.18% | 12.58% | 17.17M | US$0.781 | Monetary tightening peak (17.5% Cash Rate) |
| 1989 → | 7.5% | 6.1% | 4.6% | 13.41% | 18.16% | 16.94M | US$0.791 | - |
| 1988 → | 7.2% | 7.2% | 4.2% | 12.10% | 14.59% | 16.69M | US$0.781 | - |
| 1987 → | 8.5% | 8.1% | 5.0% | 13.19% | 11.30% | 16.39M | US$0.700 | October 1987 sharemarket crash |
| 1986 → | 9.1% | 8.1% | 2.1% | 13.42% | 15.50% | 16.14M | US$0.668 | - |
| 1985 → | 6.7% | 8.3% | 5.0% | 13.95% | 19.39% | 15.90M | US$0.698 | - |
| 1984 → | 4.0% | 9.0% | 6.7% | 13.53% | 12.01% | 15.68M | US$0.878 | - |
| 1983 → | 10.1% | 10.0% | -0.6% | 13.89% | 4.76% | 15.48M | US$0.901 | Float of the Australian Dollar & Prices and Incomes Accord |
| 1982 → | 11.2% | 7.2% | 0.2% | 15.38% | 11.46% | 15.29M | US$1.014 | Early 1980s recession & drought |
| 1981 → | 9.6% | 5.8% | 4.1% | 13.96% | 15.62% | 15.05M | US$1.149 | - |
| 1980 → | 10.2% | 6.1% | 2.9% | 11.65% | 10.88% | 14.81M | US$1.139 | - |
| 1979 → | 9.0% | 6.3% | 4.1% | 9.75% | 9.50% | 14.60M | US$1.118 | - |
| 1978 → | 8.0% | 6.3% | 2.2% | 9.06% | 8.32% | 14.43M | US$1.145 | - |
| 1977 → | 12.4% | 5.7% | 1.3% | 10.23% | 9.15% | 14.28M | US$1.109 | - |
| 1976 → | 13.3% | 4.7% | 4.3% | 10.03% | 6.37% | 14.11M | US$1.222 | - |
| 1975 → | 15.2% | 4.6% | 2.0% | 9.74% | - | 13.97M | US$1.309 | - |
| 1974 → | 15.2% | 2.4% | 1.6% | 9.04% | - | 13.83M | US$1.435 | 1974 wage explosion & stagflation peak |
| 1973 → | 9.2% | 1.8% | 5.0% | 6.93% | - | 13.61M | US$1.420 | First OPEC oil shock |
| 1972 → | 6.0% | 2.5% | 1.9% | 5.83% | - | 13.41M | US$1.192 | - |
| 1971 → | 5.9% | 1.7% | 3.8% | 6.71% | - | 13.20M | US$1.133 | - |
| 1970 → | 3.8% | 1.4% | 6.8% | 6.65% | - | 12.66M | US$1.120 | - |
| 1969 → | 3.0% | 1.5% | 6.8% | 5.84% | - | 12.41M | US$1.120 | - |
| 1968 → | 2.7% | 1.6% | 5.2% | 5.35% | - | 12.15M | US$1.120 | - |
| 1967 → | 3.2% | 1.7% | 7.3% | 5.11% | - | 11.91M | US$1.120 | - |
| 1966 → | 3.2% | 1.6% | 2.8% | 5.03% | - | 11.70M | US$1.120 | Decimal currency transition (£ to AUD) |
| 1965 → | 3.8% | 1.2% | 5.1% | 5.17% | - | 11.51M | US$1.120 | - |
| 1964 → | 2.5% | 1.2% | 6.1% | 5.15% | - | 11.28M | US$1.120 | - |
| 1963 → | 0.3% | 1.9% | 6.2% | 4.58% | - | 11.06M | US$1.120 | - |
| 1962 → | -0.2% | 2.1% | 5.4% | 4.37% | - | 10.85M | US$1.120 | - |
| 1961 → | 2.5% | 2.6% | 0.0% | 4.81% | - | 10.64M | US$1.120 | Menzies credit squeeze |
| 1960 → | 3.8% | 1.2% | 3.9% | 5.38% | - | 10.39M | US$1.120 | - |
| 1959 → | 1.9% | 1.7% | 7.3% | 4.88% | - | 10.16M | - | - |
| 1958 → | 1.1% | 1.7% | 2.1% | 4.88% | - | 9.95M | - | - |
| 1957 → | 2.7% | 1.3% | 2.0% | 4.85% | - | 9.74M | - | - |
| 1956 → | 5.9% | 0.8% | 4.8% | 5.08% | - | 9.53M | - | - |
| 1955 → | 2.2% | 0.5% | 5.9% | 5.35% | - | 9.31M | - | - |
| 1954 → | 0.8% | 0.6% | 6.3% | 4.57% | - | 9.09M | - | - |
| 1953 → | 4.4% | 1.5% | -0.9% | 4.46% | - | 8.90M | - | - |
| 1952 → | 17.7% | 1.1% | 2.7% | 4.50% | - | 8.74M | - | - |
| 1951 → | 19.6% | 0.3% | 6.1% | 4.60% | - | 8.53M | - | Korean War wool price boom & inflation spike |
| 1950 → | 9.1% | 0.4% | 7.9% | 3.53% | - | 8.31M | - | - |