This is an interactive map. Scroll, hover and click on any of the graphics to explore.
Australia has a debt problem. It currently ranks second highest in the world for percentage household debt to Gross Domestic Product (GDP). If you take a closer look at household debt across the world, countries considered to be economically prosperous have significantly higher levels of debt.
Low wage growth across Australia is driving buyers into the investment property market where capital gains far outstrip wage growth. As a result, the percentage of first home buyers is at the lowest it has been since at least 1992 as young people are increasingly priced out of the market. But for how long can debt continue to rise, and what are the flow on effects?
This map and associated graphs puts Australian debt on the global stage and explores exactly what types of debt Australians are accumulating and the key drivers for debt growth.