Six unexpected graphs from the RBA's latest report

We’ve all heard of Christmas in July. Well, for business reporters around Australia, it’s Christmas in June thanks to the Reserve Bank of Australia’s quarterly bulletin.

The bulletin is set to generate countless analysis and commentary articles over the next couple of weeks. Our economics writer Callam Pickering already wrote on the foreign investment section of it earlier today.

To give you a taste of what you can expect from the boffins at our central bank, we pored through the 76-page document and pulled out six unexpected graphs that the RBA has produced for its analysis. 

1. While Australia is building roads, China is building rail. Lots and lots of rail.

2. But perhaps it should consider building more hospital beds for its ageing population.

3. In Australia, the older you are, the more likely you are to hold copious amounts of cash in your wallet.

4. Talking about cash, despite the rise of card and contact payments it’s still the predominant means of paying for goods Australia.

5. And this may be why: merchant fees for credit card charges are skyrocketing.

6. But, after decades of growth, household consumption -- which accounts for a bit over half of Australia's GDP -- has remained fairly stagnant after the GFC.

Got a question? Let us know in the comments below or contact the reporter @HarrisonPolites on Twitter.