Treasurer Wayne Swan has told parliament on Wednesday that the local economy was built on solid foundations and that Australia can be positive about its outlook.

The most recent national accounts indicated a 3.3 percent increase in the Gross Domestic Product through the year until June and a 1.2 percent growth in the GDP during the second quarter.

The economy improved and was making the transition from stimulus-led growth to a return to private sector demand, Mr Swan said.

Consumption was picking up and business investment would be strong ahead.

August labour force data, released in early September, also pointed to a near 31,000 jump in total employment and an over 53,000 surge in full-time employment, while the unemployment rate unexpectedly dipped to 5.1 per cent.

"We are moving forward from a position of strength on very solid foundations," Mr Swan said.

But while he said, "We can be optimistic about our outlook," he noted that Australia is still exposed to overseas problems as there were still downside risks from problems in Europe and, to some extent, in the US.

"We are not necessarily immune from what is going on elsewhere in the world, but we are in the strongest-growing part of the global economy."