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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
Business
Andrew Messenger

Natural disasters cost Australia’s economy $2.2bn in first half of 2025, new Treasury analysis shows

Economy Kristy McBain New South Wales Queensland Flood Cyclone Alfred
An aerial view of flooded areas near the NSW town of Taree
An aerial view of flooded areas near the NSW town of Taree. Severe flooding in the state left about 10,000 buildings with flood damage, with an estimated 1,000 uninhabitable, and claimed five lives. Photograph: NSW police

Six months of natural disasters in 2025 have cost the economy $2.2bn, largely in slower retail and household spending, according to new federal Treasury analysis.

Wild weather has repeatedly battered the Australian east coast this year.

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