Australia has officially slipped back into a per capita recession, with GDP rising just 0.2% in the March quarter—below forecasts—and falling 0.2% per person when adjusted for population growth.
This follows seven consecutive quarters of negative per capita growth before a minor rise in December 2024.
Weak consumer spending and declining commodity prices drove the slowdown, with government consumption also stagnant.
Treasurer Jim Chalmers acknowledged the subdued figures but pointed to ongoing low unemployment and inflation as signs of resilience. The ABS report highlights Australia’s reliance on population growth to sustain headline GDP expansion.
