Story: National income and GDP

The Australian economic boom

The Australian economic boom

In the early 1970s the New Zealand and Australian economies had a per capita gross domestic product (GDP) that was very similar. Then in the rest of the 1970s and the 1980s the New Zealand economy floundered, while the Australian economy flourished on the back of a boom in minerals. By the early 2000s the contrast in GDPs had become marked. New Zealand’s GDP per capita was in purchasing power about a quarter lower than Australia’s. Tom Scott’s cartoon reflects on this situation.

Using this item

Alexander Turnbull Library
Reference: H-652-025
Cartoon by Tom Scott

Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

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How to cite this page:

Jeff Cope, 'National income and GDP - International comparisons', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/cartoon/23586/the-australian-economic-boom (accessed 25 April 2024)

Story by Jeff Cope, published 11 Mar 2010