Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) governor Glenn Stevens said on Tuesday the Australian economy is already in recession.

"Whether or not the next gross domestic product (GDP) statistic, due in early June, shows another decline, I think the reasonable person, looking at all the information available now, would come to the conclusion that the Australian economy, too, is in recession," Stevens told a lunch in Adelaide.

Speaking to the Australian Institute of Company Directors in Adelaide, Stevens said there wasn't a great deal Australians could do to improve international conditions.

"But we can maximize our chances of benefiting from a new international expansion," Stevens was quoted by Australian Associated Press as said.

Stevens said it is very rare for Australia to escape an international downturn and that there is no precedent for avoiding one of the size currently being suffered by virtually all the nation's trading partners.

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said on Monday the worst global economic recession in 75 years means it's inevitable that Australia will be dragged into recession.

"The severity of the global recession has made it impossible for Australia to avoid a further period of negative economic growth," Rudd said in a statement.

The national accounts for the December quarter released last month has showed GDP contracted by 0.5 percent in the final three months of last year, the first fall in economic growth in eight years.

The March quarter GDP figures are due on June 3.