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International DataComparisions

June 2012

Austrades International Data Comparisons (IDC)is an easy-to-read comparison of Australias

performance and position across key economic and financial related indicators. The IDC has been

updated to include data effective to 15 June 2012.

Points of interest include:

In its latest World Economic Outlook, the International Monetary Funds (IMF) confirms that Australiaseconomic fundamentals are strong with the real GDP growth projected to outperform every majoradvanced economy in 2012 and 2013. The Australian economy will likely grow by 3.0 per cent in 2012 and3.5 per cent in 2013. These rates are broadly in line with Australian Treasurys projections. Looking forward,Australias economy is estimated to grow by an average annual rate of 3.4 per cent between 2012 and2017. This rate will well exceed that of the USA, Canada, the UK, and is more than double that of Japan,France, Germany and Italy.

Australias headline Consumer Price Index (CPI) increased by 0.1 per cent in the March quarter following nochange in the December 2011 quarter. CPI rose 1.6 per cent through the year to the March 2012 quarter,compared with a rise of 3.1 per cent through the year to the December 2011 quarter. The trimmed mean forthe March quarter, year-on-year, stands at 2.2 per cent, within the Reserve Bank of Australias (RBA) targetband of 2 to 3 per cent.

Australias unemployment rate has edged up by 0.1 points to 5.1 per cent from April to May. Year-on-year,the unemployment rate has risen 0.2 points. The ABS stated that full-time employment increased by46,100 (0.6 per cent) in May while part-time employment decreased by 7,200 (0.2 per cent). The Australianunemployment rate remains low compared to other advanced economies including Canada (7.3 per cent),the UK (8.2 per cent), the US (8.2 per cent), France (9.6 per cent), and Italy (9.8 per cent).

Australias two-way trade with China in 2011 was A$121 billion. China was Australias largest two-waytrading partner, as well as Australias largest export market (A$77 billion) and source of imports (A$44billion). Japan remains Australias second largest trading partner with a total two-way trade value of A$73.The US remains a significant trading partner with a two-way value of A$54 billion.

At the June 2012 meeting, the RBA Board decided to lower the cash rate by 25 basis points to 3.50 percent, effective June 6. The latest move followed the 50 basic point interest cut on 2 May 2012. The RBAnoted in that recent domestic data generally had not suggested a significant weakening in conditionscompared with the forecasts a month earlier. The Central Bank also indicated that there was clearevidence suggesting a softening in global conditions, and uncertainty about the future in Europe hadincreased significantly.

IMF latest statistics show the low levels of General Government Net Debt as a percentage of GDP inAustralia compared to other economies. Net debt is a commonly quoted measure of a governmentsfinancial strength. The IMF forecast for 2012 in Australia is 9.5 per cent of GDP while the forecast for Japan is135.2 per cent, Italy 102.3 per cent, the UK 84.2 per cent, the US 83.7 per cent, and France 83.2 per cent.

On 12 June 2012, Moodys confirmed that the outlook for Australias Aaa foreign and local currencyratings remains stable. The credit agency stated that Australias economic strength is very high, basedon the countrys economic diversity, economic performance during the past two decades, relativelygood growth outlook and high income per capita. Moodys assesses Australias institutional strength asvery high, a classification shared by all Aaa-rated countries and reflecting overall governance, rule of law,effective monetary and regulatory institutions, and transparency. Moodys notes that even at its peak,Commonwealth government and general government debt remains low by global standards, and the 2012-

2013 budget forecasts a renewed downward trend in debt. As a result, the Commonwealth will continueto have one of the strongest financial positions among Aaa-rated governments. The report also notes thatAustralia has very low susceptibility to event risk.

The Australian Trade Commission Austrade is the AustralianGovernments trade and investment development agencyWe offer free, comprehensive and confidential assistance to international companies looking to grow their business

in Australia. Support is available in your market, through Austrades network of offices in over 50 countries.

Learn more about Australia as an investment destination and what Austrade

can do for you at www.austrade.gov.au/investorinvest@austrade.gov.au

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Source Australia China Japan USA South Singapore UK India Thailand Germany Taiwan Hong Italy France Canada BrazilKorea Kong

Total Area Land and Water (thousand sq km) CIA 7,741 9,597 378 9,827 100 0.7 244 3,287 513 357 36 1.1 301 644 9,985 8,515

Population (million, 2012F) IMF 23.0 1,355 127.3 314.7 49.1 5.4 63.1 1,223 64.5 81.6 23.4 7.2 60.9 63.4 34.9 196.5

Index of Economic Freedom Ranking (183 economies, 2012) Heritage 3 138 22 10 31 2 14 123 60 26 18 1 92 67 6 99

The Legatum Prosperity Index Ranking (110 economies, 2011) Legatum 3 52 21 10 24 16 13 91 45 15 20 19 30 18 6 42

Soundness of Banks Ranking (142 economies, 2011-12) WEF 4 64 72 90 99 5 111 32 43 87 51 10 45 27 1 16Resilience of The Economy Ranking (59 economies, 2012) IMD 5 24 48 23 33 16 43 12 25 6 13 10 44 42 18 7

Corruption Perceptions Index World Ranking (182 economies, 2011) TI 8 75 =14 24 43 5 16 95 80 =14 32 12 69 25 10 73

World Competitiveness Ranking (59 economies, 2012) IMD 15 23 27 2 22 4 18 35 30 9 7 1 40 29 6 46

Global Competitiveness Index Ranking (142 economies, 2011-12) WEF 20 26 9 5 24 2 10 56 39 6 13 11 43 18 12 53

General Government Net Debt (% of GDP, 2012F) IMF 9.5 NA 135.2 83.7 31.5 NA 84.2 NA NA 54.1 NA NA 102.3 83.2 35.4 36.0

Government Bond Ratings for Foreign Currency (latest data available) Moodys Aaa Aa3 Aa3 Aaa A1 Aaa Aaa Baa3 Baa1 Aaa Aa3 Aa1 A3 Aaa Aaa Baa2

GDP (US$bn, @ exchange rates, 2012F) IMF 1,586 7,992 5,981 15,610 1,164 270 2,453 1,779 377 3,479 480 260 2,067 2,712 1,805 2,450

GDP Per Capita (US$, @ exchange rates, 2012F) IMF 68,916 5,899 46,973 49,601 23,680 50,324 38,891 1,455 5,851 42,625 20,503 36,218 33,942 42,793 51,689 12,465

GDP Growth (averages:2006 to 2011, % pa) Austrade 2.6 10.9 0.2 0.9 3.8 6.3 0.6 8.4 3.0 1.6 4.2 4.2 -0.1 0.9 1.4 4.2

GDP Growth (averages:2012F to 2017F, % pa) Austrade 3.4 8.6 1.5 2.9 3.9 3.8 2.3 7.5 5.3 1.2 4.6 4.0 0.3 1.5 2.3 3.9

GDP Growth 2012F (%) IMF 3.0 8.2 2.0 2.1 3.5 2.7 0.8 6.9 5.5 0.6 3.6 2.6 -1.9 0.5 2.1 3.0

GDP Growth 2013F (%) IMF 3.5 8.8 1.7 2.4 4.0 3.9 2.0 7.3 7.5 1.5 4.7 4.2 -0.3 1.0 2.2 4.2

Australias Two-Way Trading Values (A$bn, Annual Total 2011) Austrade 121.1 72.5 54.2 32.7 27.7 23.0 20.3 18.5 15.3 13.6 7.9 7.7 6.7 4.9 NA

Australias Exports of Goods & Services (A$bn) Austrade 77.1 52.4 14.9 25.0 9.5 11.5 17.4 7.7 3.3 9.7 4.8 1.6 1.8 2.3 NA

Australias Imports of Goods & Services (A$bn) Austrade 43.9 20.1 39.3 7.6 18.2 11.5 3.0 10.7 12.0 4.0 3.2 6.1 4.8 2.6 NA

Australias Inward FDI Stock Level (A$bn, 2011 or latest data available) ABS 13.4 52.3 122.4 2.1 20.0 69.7 NP NP 14.3 0.21 6.7 0.58 6.8 17.3 NP

Australias Outward FDI Stock Level (A$bn, 2011 or latest data available) ABS 6.4 2.8 98.0 0.68 7.1 52.1 0.78 0.43 7.4 NP 3.9 0.22 0.49 23.3 12.9

Major Central Bank Interest Rates (%, 15 Jun 2012) Bloomberg 3.50 6.56 0 to 0.1 0 to 0.25 3.25 0.17(a) 0.50 8.00 3.00 1.00 1.88 0.50 1.00 1.00 1.00 8.50

Consumer Price Index (% change on a year ago, latest data) Bloomberg 1.6 3.0 0.4 1.7 2.5 5.4 3.0 7.6 2.5 1.8 1.7 4.7 3.2 2.0 2.0 5.0

Unemployment Rate (%, latest data) Bloomberg 5.1 4.1 4.6 8.2 3.2 2.1 8.2 NA 0.7 6.7 4.1 3.3 9.8 9.6 7.3 6.0

Exchange Rate(b)(unit of foreign currency per A$, 15 Jun 2012) RBA 6.375 78.96 1.002 1,167 1.278 0.644 55.82 31.58 0.793 29.94 7.770 0.793 0.793 1.026 2.068

% Change From 15 Mar 2012 Austrade -3.8 -10.3 -4.3 -1.1 -3.7 -3.6 6.3 -2.1 -1.3 -3.2 -4.4 -1.3 -1.3 -1.3 9.2

% Change From 15 Jun 2011 Austrade -8.1 -8.4 -6.5 0.7 -3.1 -1.5 16.7 -3.2 6.7 -3.0 -6.8 6.7 6.7 -1.1 22.4

Stock Market Performance

% Change: 30 Dec 2011 to 15 Jun 2012 (in local currency) Bloomberg 0.0 4.9 1.3 6.8 1.8 6.2 -1.7 9.7 13.7 5.6 1.2 4.3 -11.3 -2.3 -3.6 -1.1

% Change: Year 2011 (in local currency) Bloomberg -14.5 -21.7 -17.3 0.0 -11.0 -17.0 -5.6 -24.6 -0.7 -14.7 -21.2 -20.0 -25.2 -17.0 -11.1 -18.1

Office Overall Class A Core Rental Rates(c)(US$ sqf pa, Q1 2012) C&W 82.6 100.0 102.4 72.1 36.9 94.9 163.8 91.5 25.9 50.5 43.9 116.6 66.8 99.0 50.5 80.6

Number of Internet Users (per 1,000 people, 2011) IMD 843 324 846 841 828 854 820 133 329 799 754 845 764 774 849 352

Gross Expenditure on R&D (% of GDP, 2010, or latest data available) OECD 2.24 NA 3.36 2.90 3.74 NA 1.77 NA NA 2.82 NA NA 1.26 2.26 1.80 NA

IT Industry Competitiveness Index Ranking (66 economies, 2011) BSA 8 38 16 1 19 3 5 34 50 15 13 19 23 21 7 39

Quality of Life Ranking (59 economies, 2012) IMD 5 52 21 19 32 14 24 49 30 7 28 31 27 17 6 41

Highest Combined Corporate Tax Rate(d)(%, 2011) KPMG 30.0 25.0 40.7 40.0 24.2 17.0 28.0 33.2 30.0 29.4 17.0 16.5 31.4 33.3 28.3 34.0

Effective Income Tax & Social Security Rate on US$100K of Income (2011)(e) KPMG 25.3 26.0 28.3 24.3 20.1 20.0 31.0 39.4 24.3 43.0 16.7 13.0 42.6 42.0 30.3 38.5

Abbreviations:

ABS= Australian Bureau Statistics,cat. no. 5352, International

Investment Position, Australia:

Supplementary Statistics, Calendar

year 2011; Austrade= AustralianTrade Commission calculation;BSA= Business Software Alliance;

Cushman= Cushman & Wakefield,Across the Globe1Q12; CIA= CentralIntelligence Agency; The WorldFactbook; DFAT= Department ofForeign Affairs and Trade;FDI= Foreign Direct Investment;GDP= Gross Domestic Product;Heritage= Heritage Foundation &Wall Street Journal; IMD= Institutefor Management Development, WorldCompetitiveness Yearbook 2012;IMF= International Monetary Fund,World Economic Outlook (WEO) Apr

2012; KPMG= KPMGs Corporateand Indirect Tax Rate Survey 2011,

KPMGs Individual Income Tax and

Social Security Rate Survey 2011;

Legatum= The 2011 LegatumProsperity Index Rankings;Moodys= Moodys Investors Service;NA= Not Available; NP= Not forPublication;OECD= Oecd.Stat, MainScience and Technology Indicators;RBA= Reserve Bank of Australia;TI= Transparency International;WEF= World Economic Forum, TheGlobal Competitiveness Report

2011-12

Footnotes:

(a)These are the market rates thatmost closely reflect the monetarypolicy of Singapores centralbank. Singapore does not have atarget benchmark rate, instead

the countrys central bank targetsmonetary aggregates. (b)Brazil Realsourced from Bloomberg. (c)Thehighest office rental rates in eachcountry. (d) The corporate tax rateof each city includes taxes imposedat the national level, state, or localgovernment level, as appropriate.

(e) Effective rates were derived bytaking total income tax and/or socialsecurity over gross income prior anydeductions (which may includesocial security).

International Data ComparisonsJune | 2012