To my memory when I flicked through the HSC papers last year, I don't recall them asking specifically to account for certain trends in the economy but expect to use them often. Usually there's a question which provides a few stats for you to use, with the obvious intention for the student to integrate them into their response and possibly support them with further stats and a second question with none provided.
Regardless, to get the best marks you need statistics. There's no way getting around it. Knowing the theory is one thing but applying that to real life situations is what markers look for. Expect that to be good practice for university as well.