Australia GDP: what the national accounts show and how they move the Aussie

Australia GDP, gross domestic product, is the quarterly measure of everything the Australian economy produces, published by the Australian Bureau of Statistics in the national accounts. It comes about two months after the quarter, when much of the picture is known from monthly data. The Aussie moves most when growth, or the detail on spending and prices, lands far from the forecast.

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By Mike. Explanation updated 2 Oct 2026; the dates and moves below update with the research.

Australia GDP in short

Next release: Not on our calendar yet. It appears once the date is confirmed.
Published by: Australian Bureau of Statistics
When: Quarterly, about two months after the quarter ends, usually on the first Wednesday of March, June, September and December, at 11:30 in the morning Canberra time. That is 03:30 in Amsterdam for the June and September releases and 01:30 for March and December.
Currency: Australian dollar (AUD)
Impact: Medium: it moves the currency when it surprises
The line read first: Real GDP growth on the quarter, seasonally adjusted, then the growth over the year
Measured in: Chain volume measures, so price changes are taken out
Also in it: Household consumption, investment, government spending, net exports, the household saving ratio and the terms of trade
Central bank that watches it: The Reserve Bank of Australia

What is in the Australia GDP release

The release is called Australian National Accounts: National Income, Expenditure and Product. The headline is GDP in chain volume measures, seasonally adjusted, as the change on the quarter.

It breaks growth into its parts: household consumption, government spending, private investment in homes and business, net exports and the change in inventories. It also gives GDP per capita, the household saving ratio, the terms of trade and the GDP price index.

Earlier quarters are revised as more source data come in. The yearly seasonal review can shift past quarters further.

Why Australia GDP moves the Australian dollar

GDP is the broadest check on whether demand is running ahead of what the economy can supply. Strong growth with a tight labour market makes inflation harder to bring down, which points to a higher cash rate.

It weighs less in the market than CPI or the jobs report because it is late. By the time it comes out, the RBA has already seen monthly spending, trade and jobs figures for the same quarter.

How to read Australia GDP against the forecast

Start with quarterly growth against the forecast. Then look at what drove it. Growth from household spending and business investment says more about demand than growth from net exports or a build-up of stock.

Read GDP per capita too. Population growth adds to GDP on its own, so the total can rise while output per person falls.

The GDP price index and the pay of employees speak to inflation and wages. A soft growth figure with hot prices in the detail can still lift the Aussie.

What the Australian dollar did on the last release days

Our calendar keeps the exact time of each release since 16 September 2026. The first Australia GDP after that date will show here with the Australian dollar's move around it.

For scale: on an ordinary day the Australian dollar moves 0.22% against the basket from one London opening to the next, either way, on average over the 250 trading days since 14 Oct 2025.

The forecast, the figure itself and what it changed in our view of the currency are in the app, next to the research.

Questions about Australia GDP

When is Australia GDP released?

Four times a year, usually on the first Wednesday of March, June, September and December, at 11:30 in the morning Canberra time. In Amsterdam that is 03:30 in June and September and 01:30 in March and December.

Does Australia GDP move the Aussie as much as CPI?

Usually not. GDP comes about two months after the quarter, when monthly data on spending, trade and jobs are already out. It moves the Aussie most when growth or the price detail lands far from the forecast.

What is the difference between GDP and GDP per capita?

GDP is the total output of the economy, and GDP per capita divides it by the population. Population growth adds to GDP by itself, so GDP can rise while output per person falls. The ABS publishes both in the same release.

Is Australian GDP revised?

Yes. Each release can revise earlier quarters as more source data come in, and the yearly seasonal review can bring larger changes. The first figure is the one that moves the market on the day.