The shortfall swelled to A$2.25 billion ($2 billion) from a revised A$1.73 billion in November, the Bureau of Statistics said in Sydney.
Exports rose 4 percent to A$19.8 billion in December. Farm shipments gained 7 percent and coal jumped 10 percent. Exports were aided by a 5-percent rise in non-rural goods, including a 10-percent increase in coal exports.
Imports rose 6 percent to A$22 billion, the biggest monthly gain since May 2008, today’s report showed. Oil and gasoline imports jumped 26 percent. Gold imports surged 51 percent.