Australia's economy strengthens after weak start to year

Sydney

AUSTRALIA'S economy has shrugged off a sluggish start to the year, boosted by government and consumer spending with the nation extending its record run of growth, official data showed on Wednesday.

Economic growth for the second-quarter was 0.8 per cent, after 0.3 per cent in January-March, to take the annual rate of expansion to 1.8 per cent, the Australian Bureau of Statistics said.