DEBT041 Is household debt consuming you? (532 words)

Introduction

By the end of 2018 Australia had, relative to the size of its overall economy, one of the highest levels of household debt in the world. At 127% of gross domestic product (GDP), our household debt, as a percentage of GDP, had nearly doubled over the last 20 years.

So are Australian households groaning under the weight of oppressive levels of debt? For the most part the answer is no. A major reason for the increase in household debt is that interest rates are much lower than they were 20 years ago, so it’s easier to service larger loans. And over 90% of our household debt is owner-occupied home loans and investment loans.