Most Australians are enjoying increasing wealth and income as Labors reforms come to fruition.Alan Austinreports.

THENUMBERof Australians who flew abroad in January came to an all-time high of 1.54 million, the highest for any month ever, both in quantum and relative to population.

This was a thumping 152,000 more than in January 2024, or 10.9% higher. It follows a record travel year in 2024when Australians took more than 27.2 million overseas flights.

Below the stratosphere, general aviation is also soaring. A record 12,362 single-engined light aircraft wereregisteredin 2024 to zip in and out of Australias regional and city aerodromes and hundreds of small private airstrips.

The Bureau of Statistics (ABS) has shown a strong upswing in luxury imports in its latest report, confirming that quality of life is returning after the dismal Coalition years.

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Total imports of aircraft and associated technologysurgedto $4.84 billion in 2024 up from $3.45 billion the year before and just $2.29 billion in 2018.ABS imports data doesnt separate light aircraft from commercial airliners, but either way, this validates a sustained recovery.

The sweet smell of prosperity

Perfumes and cosmeticsimportedfor Australian customers averaged $2,167 million through the eight Coalition years from 2014 to 2021. This jumped to a record $3,589 in 2023and was exceeded handily in 2024at $3,721 million.

Demand for jewellery, gold, silver and gems has also surged since spending power has accelerated. Imports in this classification from 2014 to 2021 averaged $1,533 million. This surged to $2,499 million in 2022 and has stayed above that since. (See chart below.)

Imported artworks, collectors' pieces and antiques are also higher. The average value of this classification from 2014 to 2021 was $198 million. In 2023, this reached $253 millionand in 2024 an impressive $319 million.

Watches and clocks imported have similarly surged in volume and value, along with many other luxury items now affordable by more cashed-up Australians.

It should be noted that these increases are not due to normal population growth. The percentages confirm this. In 2012, imports of perfumes, jewels, artworks and watches comprised 1.11% of all imports. This rose to 1.58% by 2015, where it stayed until 2022. Then, in the last two years, this has leapt above 1.74%.

These ABS imports results are entirely consistent with data from other private and public agencies. Car dealers arereportingstrong sales except,perhaps, forTesla vehicles. Construction isexpanding, as are most areas of private enterprise. Business turnoverrosein January for the sixth consecutive month, the strongest period of sustained growth since August 2022.

The latest update of totalretail salesrelative to gross domestic productto Decembershows further expansion. (See chart below.)

Quality of life 1: Personal and business financial stress

Along with spending patterns,trends in financial counselling confirm hardship is easing.

The National Debt Helpline (NDH) reports the number of emergency calls it receives each month on the morning of the first day of the following month. Thats impressive promptness and extremely useful as a real-time indicator of economic well-being.

NDH answered 12,901 calls in February, well below normal for this time of year. February calls last year came to 13,281. If we go back before the artificial COVID stimulus, February calls were 16,016 in 2018, 18,005 in 2019 and 16,084 in 2020. Those days aregone.

Quality of life 2: Elderly workers free to retire

Last Thursdays ABSemploymentdata showed a dip in the job participation rate, which may, in fact, be good news.

Senior statisticianBjorn Jarvisobserved:

The more workers in their 70s and 80s who are nowfree to spend time with their grandkids instead of at the office, the better for everyone. This may be one of Labors most positive economic recovery achievements.

Quality of life 3: Easier life for welfare recipients

Since Labors firstbudgetin late 2022, the cost of living hasincreasedby 6.6%. Theage pension, which wasraisedagain last week to $1051.30 per fortnight, is now up 12.2% over that period.

The fortnightly adultunemploymentbenefit now at $781.10 is up 16.9%andyouth allowance has increased by 25.1%.

Of course, not everyone has benefited equally. Pockets of poverty certainly remain, although these are now smaller than ever before relative to population.

Lamentable reporting by mainstream media hacksis a major reason Australiaranks well downthe global happiness tables.

Media mendacity

Meanwhile,craven media hacks inABC'snewsroomscontinue their tiresome task of making all Australians feelpoor, miserable and defeated as they steadfastly refuse to acknowledge the current recovery and constantly talk down the economy.

The latest of their relentlessly negative 2025 headlinesinclude:

Finally, as a follow-up to last Mondayscolumn, Finland has recently beenconfirmedas having the worlds happiest citizens again (eightyears in a row since 2018), while Australia slipped from tenth place to 11th.

As feared, the Australian medias constant mendacious messages of misery and despair keep taking their toll.

Alan Austinis an Independent Australia columnist and freelance journalist. You can follow him@alanaustin001.

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