| Measure | 1996 | 2006 |
% Change |
| Total tax revenue | $116 billion | $237 billion (inc GST) | 104.3 % |
| GDP | $518bn | $987bn | 90.5% |
| Education spending | $10.12bn | $14.77bn | 45.9% |
| Welfare spending | $46.7bn | $81bn | 73.4% |
| Tourism revenue | $11.55bn | $20bn | 73.2% |
| Exports goods and services | $99.4bn | $170bn | 71.0% |
| Imports goods and services | $101bn | $200bn | 98% |
| Population | 18.3 million | 20.5 million | 12% |
| Smoking rate | 25% | 17% | down 32% |
| Obese Australians | 2.4 million | 3.3 million | 37.5% |
| Average credit card debt | $946 | $2,732 | 189% |
| Unemployment | 8.5% | 5.3% | 37.6% |
| Foreign debt | $193 bn | $472 bn | 144.6% |
| Average weekly earnings | $591.40 | $805.40 | 36% |
| Minimum wage | $349.40 | $484.40 | 38% |
| Trade union membership | 31% | 22.7% | down 26.8% |
| Australians with a uni degree | 15.8% | 18.61% | 17.8%% |
| Households with a computer | 34% | 67% | 33% |
| All Ordinaries index | 2,250 | 4,813 | 113.9% |
| Pages in the Tax Act | 3,500 | 10,000 | 185% |
| Federal health spending | $20 billion | $45 billion | 125% |
| Net federal debt | $96 billion | $6 billion | down 1500% |
| Federal budget | $9 billion deficit | $9 billion surplus | 200% |
| Coal exports | $7.8bn | $24bn | 207.7% |
| Household debt | $223 billion | $850 billion | 281.2% |
| Average weekly earnings | $664 | $1,026 | 81.6% |
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