Business conditions improved over the December quarter, the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI) poll indicated.
Indicators for the next three to 12 months are also expected to move beyond five year averages, suggesting that Australian property investment and other business confidence is improving.
Commenting on the figures, director of economics and industry policy at the ACCI Greg Evans explained that although the data is promising, sales and profitability continue to "fall short of expectations".
He said: "Weak investment indicators also suggest that businesses remain pessimistic about their business capital expenditure plans in the first half of 2010.
"Therefore to ensure sustainable economic recovery, it is imperative that fiscal and monetary policy settings continue to encourage productive business investment and jobs creation."
It follows the release of promising Australian property figures at the end of December by the Rismark National Home Value Index, which showed that average property prices rose by 1.1 per cent in November.