Australians should be optimistic about economy: Gillard

Gross domestic product (GDP) soared to 4.3 per cent in the year to March, marking the fastest annual growth since September 2007, Australian Bureau of Statistics figures show.

Over the March quarter, GDP expanded by 1.3 per cent, which was much stronger than expected.

"This is a result all Australians should be proud of because we have worked together to make sure our nation came through the global financial crisis, and that it has continued to grow," she told reporters in Sydney on Wednesday.

"It is truly remarkable, at a time when European nations are going backwards and many nations are really staggering to try to put one foot in front of the other when it comes to growth, that we are surging ahead."

Gillard said Australia's economic fundamentals were strong, despite repeated criticism from some sectors.

"These growth figures are proving some of the doomsayers and sceptics wrong," she said.