## Australia: 2017 Article IV Consultation-Press Release; Staff Report; and Statement by the Executive Director for Australia

_IMF Staff Country Reports, February 20, 2018_

## Source details

**Canonical URL:** [Australia: 2017 Article IV Consultation-Press Release; Staff Report; and Statement by the Executive Director for Australia](https://www.imf.org/en/publications/cr/issues/2018/02/20/australia-2017-article-iv-consultation-press-release-staff-report-and-statement-by-the-45631)

## Other formats

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## Bibliographic details
- Published: February 20, 2018
- Series: IMF Staff Country Reports
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.5089/9781484341827.002

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### Overview and key findings
- The 2017 Article IV Consultation highlights that Australia has enjoyed a comparatively robust economic performance while adjusting to the end of the commodity price and mining investment booms of the 2000s.
- The recovery from these shocks has advanced further in 2017.
- Aggregate demand has been led by strong public investment growth amid a boost in infrastructure spending and private business investment has picked up, but private consumption growth has remained subdued.
- Employment growth has strengthened markedly over the year, although the economy is not yet back at full employment.
- Wage growth is weak and inflation is below its target range.
- The macroeconomic policy stance has become more supportive with the infrastructure investment boost.

### Aggregate demand, investment, and consumption
- Public investment growth: described as "strong" and driven by a boost in infrastructure spending.
- Private business investment: has picked up (no numerical value provided in source content).
- Private consumption growth: has remained subdued.

### Labor market, wages, and inflation
- Employment growth: has strengthened markedly over the year, but the economy is not yet back at full employment.
- Wage growth: characterized as weak.
- Inflation: below its target range; both headline and core inflation are referenced among subjects and keywords.

### Subjects and thematic coverage
- Subjects listed: Housing, Housing prices, Income, Infrastructure, Labor, National accounts, Prices, Wages.
- Keywords include: Asia and Pacific, center, core inflation, CR, Global, headline inflation, Housing, housing investor loan, Housing prices, IMF staff's projection, Income, Infrastructure, ISCR, liability positions vis-à-vis nonresident, stamp duty surcharge, Wages, year-on-year terms.

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## Content in this bundle

- **Country Report**
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  - [Country Report (PDF)](/-/media/files/publications/cr/2018/cr1844.pdf){rel="external" type="application/pdf"}

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_Source: https://www.imf.org/en/publications/cr/issues/2018/02/20/australia-2017-article-iv-consultation-press-release-staff-report-and-statement-by-the-45631_