While the echo chamber resounds with negativity and unhelpful predictions of gloom, economic indicators paint a much brighter story. Over the past three years, output in the Australian economy has increased by 9 per cent, the number of people with jobs has risen by over half a million, leaving unemployment unchanged at 5.4 per cent, and the underlying inflation has averaged 2½ per cent, well within the RBA's comfort range. A truly remarkable outcome considering our external situation.
In the words of Philip Lowe, Deputy Governor of the RBA, this represents a very good outcome.
Quote:By the standards of most other countries, this represents a very good outcome and a high degree of internal balance. Remarkably, we have achieved this balance despite experiencing the biggest boom in business investment and the largest rise in the terms of trade for over a hundred years. In the past, much smaller investment and terms of trade booms caused outbreaks of inflation and the emergence of other imbalances in the economy. On this occasion this has not happened. The investment boom has not led to a large increase in the current account deficit. There has not been an explosion in credit. Increases in asset prices have generally been contained. And the average level of interest rates has been below the long-term average, despite the very significant additional demand generated by the record levels of investment and the terms of trade.
http://www.rba.gov.au/speeches/2013/sp-dg-190313.htmlBut don't expect to be hearing this story from the Murdoch press.