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publicledger.au

Australia's Public Ledger

Live data on Australia's national debt, household borrowing, government finances, inflation, wages, and housing. Sourced directly from AOFM, RBA, and ABS.

Gross Debt  
Debt-to-GDP  
Cash Rate  
Last synced  

How you're doing

The national accounts below describe the government's balance sheet. These five describe a household's — pay, housing, and debt, measured against what a typical (median) full-time wage will cover.

Real Wages
vs peak
Years to Buy
Sydney median
Mortgage Bite
of one full-time wage
Rent Bite
of one full-time wage
Household Debt
owed per $1 of annual income
Key Indicators
Gross Debt
all instruments on issue
Net Debt
liabilities net of financial assets
Debt-to-GDP
nominal GDP basis
Debt per Australian
per person
Household Debt
mortgages & personal credit
Debt Holdings
Foreign
RBA
Domestic
GDP (Real, Annual)
chain volume measure
Cash Rate
RBA target rate
Annual Interest
of government revenue
Debt Portfolio
avg rate on portfolio
Have Wages Kept Up With Prices?
Cumulative wage growth against cumulative price growth, both from the same starting point. The shaded gap is the change in what a wage actually buys — the real wage line shows it directly.
Sources: RBA H4 Wage Price Index, RBA G1 Consumer Price Index index · rebased to 100 at series start
The Typical Wage vs the Average Wage
Median full-time earnings against the mean. The mean is pulled up by high earners — the median is the worker in the middle, and it is the denominator used in the affordability charts on this page.
Source: ABS 6337.0 Employee Earnings, Table 1 (August each year) $ per week · gross
Repayment on a Median Home
Monthly repayment on a median-priced house with a 20% deposit over 30 years, at the representative new-borrower rate. Quarterly, 2002–present.
Sources: ABS 6432.0 median prices; RBA F5/F6 lending rates $ per month · 20% deposit · 30-year term
Years of Income to Buy a House
Median house price divided by one typical (median) full-time annual wage. A ratio above about 5 is internationally classed as severely unaffordable.
Sources: ABS 6432.0 median prices; ABS 6337.0 median full-time earnings years of gross median full-time earnings
What Housing Costs You
Mortgage repayment on a median Sydney house and median weekly rent, each as a share of one typical (median) full-time wage. The dashed line marks the 30% housing-stress threshold.
Sources: ABS 6432.0, ABS 6401.0, RBA F5/F6, ABS 6337.0 % of median full-time weekly earnings
What Borrowers Actually Pay
Mortgage rates against the RBA cash rate. The advertised standard variable rate is shown for reference — discounting means few borrowers pay it.
Sources: RBA F1 cash rate; RBA F5 indicator lending rates; RBA F6 housing lending rates % per annum
Household Debt & Saving
Total household debt as a share of annual disposable income (left), against the share of income households save (right).
Source: ABS 5232.0 Finance and Wealth, Tables 35 & 36 % of annual gross disposable income
What Households Own & Owe
Household assets by type against total household liabilities. Superannuation is now the second-largest asset Australians hold, after housing.
Source: ABS 5232.0 Finance and Wealth, Table 35 — Household Balance Sheet $b AUD · quarterly
Per Person
National aggregates divided by the number of Australians. Switch between economic output, government debt, federal tax paid, superannuation, and household net worth — each per person.
Sources: RBA H1; AOFM; ABS 5506.0; ABS 5232.0; ABS 3101.0; RBA G1 $ per person per year
Student Debt Indexation
The annual increase applied to every HECS-HELP balance on 1 June. Since 2023 the rate is capped at the lower of inflation and wage growth.
Derived from RBA G1 (CPI) and RBA H4 (WPI) using the legislated indexation formula % applied on 1 June
What Things Actually Cost
Petrol in cents per litre (left) against electricity and gas price levels (right). Percentages hide what people actually notice at the bowser and on the bill.
Sources: Australian Institute of Petroleum (annual actuals); ABS 6401.0 (monthly shape) cents/litre · index
Inflation Where You Live
Year-ended inflation by capital city against the national average. The national figure is a weighted average — no single city experiences it.
Source: ABS 6401.0 Consumer Price Index, Table 1 (Monthly CPI) % change from same month a year earlier
Labor government Coalition government
Gross Debt Over Time
Total Australian Government Securities on issue by instrument type, face value ($b). Monthly data since 2003.
Source: AOFM Portfolio Aggregate — Executive Summary (dealt basis) Face value · $b AUD
Who Holds the Debt
Share of government bonds held by foreign investors, the RBA, and domestic institutions. Quarterly, market value basis.
Sources: AOFM Foreign Holdings, RBA A3.1 % of government bonds on issue
Treasury Bond Maturity Schedule
All Treasury Bonds on issue, grouped by maturity year and split by holder. Teal = RBA-held (QE bonds being unwound). Blue = private investors. Bar height = total refinancing task for that year.
Sources: AOFM portfolio aggregate (TB series); RBA A3.1 $b AUD face value · grouped by maturity year
Debt-to-GDP Ratio
Gross government debt as a percentage of nominal GDP. The standard measure of debt sustainability used for international comparisons.
Sources: AOFM Portfolio Aggregate, RBA H1 % of nominal annual GDP
Debt-to-GDP — G7 Comparison
General government gross debt as % of nominal GDP — Australia versus G7 peers. Annual IMF World Economic Outlook data. Note: uses the IMF's general government definition, which consolidates all levels of government including states and territories. Australia's figure (~43%) is higher than the Commonwealth-only measure shown in the chart above (~34%) because state government debt is included here — necessary to keep all countries on a comparable basis.
Source: IMF World Economic Outlook (GGXWDG_NGDP, general government gross debt — all levels of govt) % of nominal GDP · annual
Government Debt vs Money Supply
Total government bonds on issue against M3 broad money supply. Monthly, both in $b AUD.
Sources: AOFM Portfolio Aggregate, RBA D3 $b AUD
Household Debt vs Government Debt
Total credit extended to Australian households — owner-occupier mortgages, investor mortgages, and personal credit — compared with Commonwealth gross debt. Household debt is nearly three times government debt and is the larger financial burden for most Australians.
Sources: RBA D2 Credit Aggregates (household), AOFM Portfolio Aggregate (government) $t AUD · seasonally adjusted
Commonwealth vs State Government Debt
Debt securities on issue for the Commonwealth and total of all state/territory general governments. States borrow primarily for infrastructure. Annual financial year data from ABS GFS.
ⓘ Shows debt securities only. States also borrow via financing authority loans (TCorp, QTC, etc.) which are not captured here. Total state borrowings are ~2.75× higher — see State Government Debt by State below.
Source: ABS Government Finance Statistics Annual (5512.0) — DO002 (Commonwealth), DO011 (Total State) $b AUD · financial year ending 30 June · debt securities only
State Government Debt by State
Total financial borrowings per state and territory general government — debt securities, advances payable, and other loans. Includes on-lending from state financing authorities (TCorp for NSW, QTC for QLD, SAFA for SA) so all states are comparable. Annual, financial year ending 30 June.
Source: ABS Government Finance Statistics Annual 5512.0 — DO003–DO010 (individual state general governments) $b AUD · FY end · advances + other loans + debt securities
Commonwealth Budget: Revenue, Expenses & Interest
Annual Commonwealth Government revenue versus total expenses, with interest on government debt shown as a separate component. The dashed green line shows the primary balance — the deficit or surplus before interest payments — revealing the underlying fiscal position.
Source: ABS Government Finance Statistics Annual (5512.0) — Commonwealth General Government Operating Statement $b AUD, financial year ending 30 June
Commonwealth Expenses by Purpose
Annual Commonwealth government expenses broken down by functional purpose. Social protection is by far the largest category. The 2020–21 spike in Economic Affairs reflects COVID-19 business support (JobKeeper).
Source: ABS Government Finance Statistics Annual (5512.0) Table 4 — Expenses by Purpose $b AUD, financial year ending 30 June
Net Debt & Annual Balance
Commonwealth net debt (total liabilities minus superannuation provisions minus financial assets) shown against the annual fiscal balance. Green bars = surplus, red bars = deficit. Net debt rises when deficits are run and falls when surpluses are recorded.
Source: ABS Government Finance Statistics Annual (5512.0) — Commonwealth General Government Balance Sheet (Table 3) $b AUD, financial year ending 30 June
Defined Benefit Super Liability & Future Fund
Commonwealth defined-benefit superannuation liability (CSS, PSS, military, parliamentary pensions) versus the Future Fund balance. The stacked bars show how much of the super liability is covered by the Future Fund (teal) and how much remains unfunded (coral). The liability is discounted at long-term bond yields, making it highly rate-sensitive — it peaked at $430b in 2020 when rates hit historic lows.
Sources: ABS Government Finance Statistics Annual 5512.0 Table 3 (super liability); Future Fund Annual Reports (FUM — flagship fund only) $b AUD · financial year ending 30 June · Future Fund FUM manually updated from annual reports
Cost of Portfolio Debt vs Market Rates
The effective rate the government actually pays on its debt portfolio, versus the RBA cash rate and 10-year bond yield. The portfolio rate lags market rates — most bonds were locked in at COVID-era lows and will cost more as they mature and are refinanced.
Sources: ABS 5512.0 (interest expense), AOFM Portfolio Aggregate (gross debt), RBA F1 & F2.1 % per annum, financial year ending June
Annual Borrowing Requirement
Net new government borrowing each fiscal year (bars), versus the budget balance (line). Even in surplus years, debt can still grow as maturing bonds are refinanced — the gap between the bar and the budget deficit represents this refinancing component.
Sources: AOFM Portfolio Aggregate (gross debt change), ABS 5512.0 (budget balance) $b AUD, financial year ending June
Bond Market Value — Impact of the Rate Cycle
Mark-to-market price per $100 face value of a hypothetical 10-year Treasury Bond issued each January from 2015 to 2024, at the prevailing 10yr yield at issuance. Computed monthly from RBA yield curve data using standard semi-annual bond pricing. Bonds issued in 2021 (teal, thicker) fell furthest — to ~$76 at peak rates in late 2023, a ~24% paper loss — because they carried the lowest coupon (~1.1%). Bonds issued in 2015–18 and 2022–24 were far less affected. Price recovers toward $100 as maturity approaches.
Source: RBA F2/F2.1 (yield curve) — hypothetical par bonds priced at prevailing RBA yields, semi-annual compounding $ per $100 face value
Commonwealth Financial Assets
Breakdown of Commonwealth general government financial assets from the ABS GFS balance sheet, 2015–16 to 2024–25. Total financial assets reached $668b in 2024–25, dominated by 'other financial assets' (Future Fund and similar) and equity in public corporations. Despite this, gross liabilities of $1.49 trillion leave net financial worth at –$824b.
Source: ABS Government Finance Statistics Annual (5512.0) — Commonwealth General Government Balance Sheet (Table 3) $b AUD, financial year ending 30 June
Government Capital Investment (GFCF)
Quarterly general government gross fixed capital formation, split by federal defence, federal non-defence, and state & local governments. State and local governments dominate (~75% of total), building roads, hospitals, and schools. Federal defence GFCF covers ships, aircraft, and hardware. Data from ABS National Accounts (5206.0), seasonally adjusted, current prices.
Source: ABS National Accounts (5206.0) Table 3 — General Government Gross Fixed Capital Formation, seasonally adjusted current prices $b AUD per quarter
Federal Tax Revenue by Category
Annual Commonwealth taxation revenue broken down by category, 2015–16 to 2024–25. Personal income tax is the dominant source (~47%), followed by company tax (~21%) and GST (~14%). The excise category includes fuel excise and other levies. Values from ABS 5506.0 Taxation Revenue.
Source: ABS 5506.0 Taxation Revenue, Australia — Table 1 Commonwealth Government $b AUD, financial year
State & Local Tax Revenue by Category
Annual combined state and local government tax revenue by category, 2015–16 to 2024–25. Stamp duties on property transfers are the most cyclical component — they rise sharply during housing booms and contract during downturns. Payroll and land taxes are more stable. Values from ABS 5506.0 Table 10.
Source: ABS 5506.0 Taxation Revenue, Australia — Table 10 Total All States $b AUD, financial year
State & Local Tax Revenue by State
Annual state and local government tax revenue for each jurisdiction, 2015–16 to 2024–25. Includes all state government and local government taxation (council rates etc.). NSW and VIC together account for over half of total state-level revenue. Source: ABS 5506.0 Tables 2–9.
Source: ABS 5506.0 Taxation Revenue, Australia — Tables 2–9 individual jurisdictions $b AUD, financial year
Government Spending Per Person, by Jurisdiction
Total general government expenses per resident for the latest financial year, broken down by functional purpose. The Commonwealth bar is additive to each state bar — Australians are served by both. The Northern Territory spends more than twice per resident what New South Wales does.
Source: ABS GFS Annual (5512.0) Table 4; ABS 3101.0 Table 4 (ERP at 30 June) $ per resident, financial year
What Each Government Spends It On
Composition of general government expenses by purpose, as a share of each jurisdiction’s own total. The Commonwealth is dominated by social protection transfers; the states are dominated by health and education service delivery.
Source: ABS GFS Annual (5512.0) Table 4 — expenses by COFOG purpose % of total expenses, latest financial year
State Reliance on Commonwealth Grants
Commonwealth grants as a share of each state’s total revenue. No state raises even two-thirds of its own revenue; the Northern Territory raises barely a quarter. This is vertical fiscal imbalance — Canberra collects the tax, the states do the spending.
Source: ABS GFS Annual (5512.0) Table 1 — current grants and subsidies plus capital grants % of total GFS revenue, financial year
Spending Per Person Over Time
Total general government expenses per resident, by jurisdiction, in nominal dollars. The COVID-19 period lifted every line — the Commonwealth most sharply — and spending did not return to its previous trajectory afterwards.
Source: ABS GFS Annual (5512.0) Table 4; ABS 3101.0 Table 4 (ERP at 30 June) $ per resident, nominal, financial year
Budgeted vs Actual Spending
Expense variance — actual spending minus the amount forecast in that government’s own budget for the same year, as a percentage. Above zero means the government spent more than it planned. Forecast error is not the same as waste: disasters, downturns and new policy all land in this gap.
Source: PBO Historical State Budget Forecasts (budget vintages 2014-15 onward; actuals from ABS GFS) % variance from budget, financial year
Promised vs Delivered: Operating Balance
Forecast net operating balance against the actual outcome, every jurisdiction and year since 2014-15, as a share of each jurisdiction’s own revenue so all nine are comparable. The diagonal is a perfect forecast; points below it are years that landed worse than budgeted.
Source: PBO Historical State Budget Forecasts — net operating balance, general government sector Net operating balance as % of revenue, forecast vs outcome
Forward Spending Plans
Budgeted expenses over the forward estimates, indexed to the last year with a measured outcome. Steeper lines mean faster planned spending growth. These are projections, not commitments.
Source: PBO Historical State Budget Forecasts — latest budget vintage per jurisdiction Index, last measured outcome year = 100
Government Spending Explorer
All nine Australian general government sectors, by purpose, on one comparable basis. This is the deepest breakdown published consistently across every jurisdiction — below it, each state’s own output structure stops being comparable.
Measure
View
Jurisdictions
Source: ABS GFS Annual (5512.0) Table 4 — expenses by COFOG purpose; ABS 3101.0 Table 4 (ERP at 30 June) General government sector, financial year
Upcoming Events
Next RBA Monetary Policy Board meetings and key ABS data releases. Upcoming meeting dates marked ~ are approximate pending RBA confirmation.
RBA Board Meetings rba.gov.au ↗
ABS Data Releases abs.gov.au ↗
Australian Government Bond Yield Curve
Yields across maturities at a selected date. Use the slider to navigate history since 1969, or click Play to animate.
10y – 2y:
1969 Today
Compare:
Source: RBA F1.1 (money market), F2 historical & F2.1 (capital market yields) % per annum
RBA Cash Rate Target
The Reserve Bank's official cash rate since 1990. Rising rates increase the cost of servicing government debt and household mortgages.
Source: RBA F1 — Interest Rates Per cent per annum
Inflation (CPI, Year-ended)
Annual change in the Consumer Price Index — all groups, Australia. The RBA targets inflation between 2% and 3% over the medium term.
Source: ABS / RBA G1 — CPI All Groups, year-ended % change % per year
Real Interest Rates
Cash rate and 10-year bond yield each minus CPI inflation. The dashed line shows the real 10yr bond using trimmed-mean CPI — the RBA's preferred underlying measure — stripping out volatile items for a cleaner signal.
Sources: RBA F1 (cash rate), RBA F2/F2.1 (10yr yield), ABS/RBA G1 (CPI year-ended) Nominal rate minus CPI · % per annum
Underlying Inflation
RBA underlying inflation measures: trimmed mean (removes top and bottom 15% of price changes each quarter), weighted median, and CPI excluding volatile items. The RBA targets underlying inflation in the 2–3% band over the medium term. Data from RBA G1.
Source: ABS / RBA G1 — trimmed mean (GCPIOCPMTMYP), weighted median (GCPIOCPMWMYP), excl. volatile items (GCPIXVIYP) % year-ended
Producer Prices (PPI, Year-ended)
Annual change in the Producer Price Index — final demand, Australia. Producer prices often lead consumer prices by one to two quarters.
Source: ABS 6427.0 Table 1 — Final demand, year-ended % change % per year
Producer Prices by Sector
Year-ended output price changes across key sectors. Manufacturing: all output; Construction: building (residential + commercial); Transport: road freight; Services: architectural, engineering and technical.
Source: ABS 6427.0 — Tables 12, 17, 21, 24 % per year
CPI by Component
Year-ended CPI inflation broken down by the 11 major expenditure groups (ABS 6401.0 Table 18). Shows which categories of spending are driving inflation and which are moderating.
Source: ABS 6401.0 Table 18 — CPI group index numbers, year-ended % change % year-ended · quarterly · weighted average of 8 capital cities
RBA Balance Sheet — Assets & Liabilities
Detailed weekly breakdown of the RBA's balance sheet. Assets split into: foreign exchange reserves, gold, other official reserves (SDRs, IMF position), AUD investments (AGS bonds bought via QE + TFF loans), and other assets. Liabilities show Exchange Settlement balances (bank reserves) as the primary counterpart to QE, alongside banknotes and government deposits. Equity turned negative in 2022–23 from mark-to-market bond losses.
Assets
Liabilities & Equity
Source: RBA A1 (balance sheet, weekly) + RBA A4 (gold/FX split, monthly) $b AUD · weekly · from July 2013
10-year – 2-year Yield Spread
Difference between 10-year and 2-year AGS yields (monthly). Green bars indicate a normal (upward-sloping) curve; red bars indicate inversion. Persistent inversion historically precedes rate cuts and economic slowdowns.
Source: RBA F2 historical & F2.1 — 10yr minus 2yr yield Percentage points
GDP by Expenditure Component
Breakdown of Australia's quarterly GDP (current prices, seasonally adjusted) into household consumption, government consumption, gross capital formation, and net exports (exports minus imports). Bars show domestic demand; the net exports line shows the trade contribution to GDP. Data from ABS National Accounts 5206.0, 1959–present.
Source: ABS 5206.0 Table 3 — Expenditure on GDP, Current prices, Seasonally Adjusted $b AUD · quarterly · seasonally adjusted
Unemployment Rate
Monthly unemployment rate (seasonally adjusted) — the share of the labour force actively seeking work. Data sourced from the ABS Labour Force Survey.
Source: ABS / RBA H5 — Unemployed persons as % of labour force, seasonally adjusted % of labour force
The Jobs Picture Behind the Headline
Unemployment is only part of labour market slack. Underemployment — working, but wanting more hours — is now the larger share. Switch to hours worked, which turns down before the unemployment rate does.
Source: ABS 6202.0 Table X29 — Underutilised persons, seasonally adjusted % of labour force
Unemployment by State
State labour markets diverge substantially from the national average. Switch between the headline unemployment rate and total underutilisation.
Source: ABS 6202.0 Table X28 — by State and Territory, seasonally adjusted % of labour force · NT and ACT not published SA
Wages vs Inflation
Wage Price Index (year-ended % change, seasonally adjusted) against CPI inflation. When WPI falls below CPI, real wages are falling — workers are getting a pay cut in purchasing-power terms.
Sources: RBA H4 (WPI, ABS), RBA G1 (CPI) % year-ended change · quarterly · seasonally adjusted
Wage Price Index by Industry
Year-ended WPI growth by industry sector, total hourly rates excluding bonuses, Australia. Shows which sectors are driving wage inflation and which are lagging.
Source: ABS 6345.0 — Wage Price Index, Australia (quarterly index numbers) % year-ended change · quarterly
Average Weekly Earnings by Industry
Full-time adult ordinary time weekly earnings by industry, all persons. Biannual survey snapshot — most recent available period. Mining consistently leads; hospitality and retail trail.
Source: ABS 6302.0 Table 10G — Average Weekly Earnings by Industry (biannual, employer survey) $ per week · full-time adult ordinary time · all persons
Terms of Trade
Australia's goods and services terms of trade index (ratio of export prices to import prices, 2022/23 = 100). When the index rises, each unit of exports buys more imports — a boost to national income. Driven primarily by iron ore, coal, and LNG prices.
Source: RBA H1 / ABS National Accounts 5206.0 — Terms of trade (GOPITT), quarterly Index (2022/23 = 100) · quarterly · seasonally adjusted
Private Business Investment
Private business gross fixed capital formation (GFCF) — investment in new buildings, machinery, equipment, and intellectual property. Current prices, seasonally adjusted. A key driver of long-run productivity and economic capacity.
Source: ABS National Accounts 5206.0 Table 3 — Private business GFCF (A2304051J), current prices, seasonally adjusted $b AUD · quarterly · seasonally adjusted
Labour Productivity
Real GDP per hour worked, indexed to 100 at 2019-Q4 (pre-COVID). Rising productivity is the foundation for sustainable real wage growth. Computed from RBA H1 (real GDP) and H5 (hours worked).
Sources: RBA H1 — Real GDP (GGDPCVGDP); RBA H5 — Total hours worked (GLFMHW) Index 2019-Q4 = 100 · quarterly · seasonally adjusted
Debt per Australian
Gross government debt divided by Australia's estimated resident population. A way to contextualise the scale of national borrowing.
Sources: AOFM Portfolio Aggregate, ABS 3101.0 $k AUD per person
Population Growth: Natural vs Migration
Quarterly population growth split into natural increase (births minus deaths) and net overseas migration (NOM). Values are in thousands of people.
Source: ABS 3101.0 — National, State and Territory Population (Table 1) thousands of people per quarter
Median House Price
Median price of established house transfers across all eight capital cities. Use the unit buttons to switch between dollars, inflation-adjusted dollars, years of median full-time income, and ounces of gold. Quarterly, 2002–present.
Sources: ABS 6432.0 Table 2 (unstratified median); ABS 6337.0; RBA G1; COMEX gold switchable units · quarterly
Rents
Median weekly rent, anchored to the 2021 Census figure of $375/week for all Australian renters. Switch the units to read it in today's dollars, as a share of a full-time wage, or in gold. Quarterly, 1972–present.
Sources: ABS 6401.0 Table 18 Rents index (A2331876F); ABS Census 2021 anchor ($375/wk) $ per week · switchable units
Building Approvals
Monthly dwelling units approved for construction — split into houses and other dwellings (apartments, townhouses). Building approvals lead actual housing supply by 12–24 months. Data from ABS 8731.0, original series, 1983–present.
Source: ABS 8731.0 Table 9 — Total dwelling units approved, Australia (A418427K, A421262J, A422064L) number of dwellings · monthly · original (not seasonally adjusted)
Merchandise Export Composition
Monthly merchandise exports broken down by SITC commodity group, 1988–present. Metal ores (mainly iron ore) are Australia's largest export. Coal and LNG are the next-largest, followed by gold and agricultural products. Values are current price AUD millions, not seasonally adjusted.
Source: ABS 5368.0 Table 12a — Merchandise Exports by SITC (1-2 digit), original, current prices $b AUD · monthly · not seasonally adjusted
Merchandise Import Composition
Monthly merchandise imports broken down by SITC commodity group, 1988–present. Machinery and transport equipment (including vehicles) dominate imports. Petroleum reflects Australia's refining capacity shortfall. Pharmaceuticals sit within Chemicals. Not seasonally adjusted.
Source: ABS 5368.0 Table 13a — Merchandise Imports by SITC (1-2 digit), original, current prices $b AUD · monthly · not seasonally adjusted
Current Account Balance
Quarterly current account balance broken down into goods and services, primary income (investment returns to/from overseas), and secondary income (transfers). Australia historically runs a current account deficit. Data from ABS 5302.0, 1959–present.
Source: ABS 5302.0 Table 1 — Current account and components, $m, original $b AUD · quarterly · original
Net Foreign Debt
Australia's total net foreign debt position — the accumulated stock of overseas borrowings (minus overseas lending). Decomposed into public and private sector components. Quarterly, 1988–present.
Source: ABS 5302.0 Table 16 — Foreign Debt Levels (A3374925K, A3374948A, A3374947X) $b AUD · quarterly · end of period
AUD/USD Exchange Rate
Australian dollar against the US dollar since 1971. The AUD floated in December 1983. Captures purchasing power, commodity cycle sensitivity, and the cost of Australia's USD-denominated imports and foreign debt servicing.
Sources: FRED DEXUSAL (1971–2006), Yahoo Finance AUDUSD=X (2006–present) AUD per 1 USD
ASX 200
Monthly closing level of the ASX 200, covering the 200 largest companies on the Australian Securities Exchange by market capitalisation. Data from 2000.
Source: Yahoo Finance — ^AXJO (ASX 200); monthly close Index points
Gold & Silver Price (AUD)
Monthly spot price of gold and silver in Australian dollars, derived from COMEX futures (GC=F, SI=F) converted at the prevailing AUD/USD exchange rate. Gold (left axis) and silver (right axis) trade at very different price levels.
Source: Yahoo Finance — GC=F (gold), SI=F (silver), AUDUSD=X; monthly close, converted to AUD AUD per troy oz
Share Market in Precious Metal Terms
ASX 200 index level expressed as ounces of gold (left axis) or ounces of silver (right axis) required to buy one "unit" of the index. Removes the effect of currency debasement — when this ratio falls, shares are cheapening in real terms relative to hard assets.
Source: ^AXJO (ASX 200) ÷ AUD gold/silver spot price oz gold (left) / oz silver (right)