CAPITAL CITIES COMPARISON



ALL GROUPS CPI

At the All groups level, the CPI rose in all of the eight capital cities, with Hobart recording the largest movement.

The transport group (+2.4%) is the most significant positive contributor to the All groups quarterly movement, with rises across all eight capital cities. This is driven by automotive fuel (+10.4%), due to increases in world oil prices.

The alcohol and tobacco group (+3.2%) is the second most significant positive contributor to the All groups quarterly movement, with rises across all eight capital cities. This is driven by a rise in tobacco (+8.5%), due to the flow on effects of the federal excise tax increase of 12.5% and the further increase based on Average Weekly Ordinary Time Earnings (AWOTE) effective 1 September 2017.

The food and non-alcoholic beverages group (+1.0%) is the third most significant positive contributor to the All groups quarterly movement, with rises in all eight capital cities. The rise is driven by fruits (+9.3%), due to rises for berries, particularly strawberries, and grapes.

The most significant offsetting negative contributor to the All groups quarterly movement is the furnishings, household equipment and services group (-0.8%), with falls across all eight capital cities. The fall is driven by household textiles (-5.7%) due to ongoing competition and continued discounting activity in the retail industry.

Over the last twelve months to December quarter 2017, the All groups CPI (+1.9%) has risen across all eight capital cities, with Adelaide (+2.3%), Sydney (+2.2%) , Melbourne (+2.2%) and Canberra (+2.2%) recording the largest movements.

All Groups CPI, All groups index numbers and percentage changes
	Index number(a)	Percentage change
	Dec Qtr 2017	Sep Qtr 2017 to Dec Qtr 2017	Dec Qtr 2016 to Dec Qtr 2017
Sydney	113.3	0.7	2.2
Melbourne	112.3	0.7	2.2
Brisbane	112.3	0.8	1.9
Adelaide	111.2	0.7	2.3
Perth	109.9	0.4	0.8
Hobart	110.3	1.0	2.1
Darwin	109.7	0.3	1.0
Canberra	110.3	0.6	2.2
Weighted average of eight capital cities	112.1	0.6	1.9
(a) Index reference period: 2011-12 = 100.0.

SYDNEY (+0.7%)

The main contributors to the rise in Sydney this quarter are automotive fuel (+12.0%), tobacco (+8.2%) and domestic holiday travel and accommodation (+4.7%). The rise is partially offset by falls in international travel and accommodation (-1.6%) and motor vehicles (-1.7%). The fall in international travel and accommodation are due to the Northern hemisphere entering low holiday season.


MELBOURNE (+0.7%)

The main contributors to the rise in Melbourne this quarter are automotive fuel (+10.6%), tobacco (+8.4%) and domestic holiday travel and accommodation (+7.5%). The rise is partially offset by falls in audio, visual and computing equipment (-3.9%) and international travel and accommodation (-1.5%). Falls in audio, visual and computing equipment are driven by falls in televisions as a result of increased competition and discounting in the lead up to the Christmas period in order to stimulate demand.


BRISBANE (+0.8%)

The main contributors to the rise in Brisbane this quarter are automotive fuel (+10.6%), tobacco (+9.1%) and domestic holiday travel and accommodation (+5.6%). The rise is partially offset by falls in international travel and accommodation (-1.9%) and audio, visual and computing equipment (-3.6%).


ADELAIDE (+0.7%)

The main contributors to the rise in Adelaide this quarter are tobacco (+9.0%), automotive fuel (+9.0%), and domestic holiday travel and accommodation (+5.1%). The rise is partially offset by falls in international travel and accommodation (-2.6%) and audio, visual and computing equipment (-2.9%).


PERTH (+0.4%)

The main contributors to the rise in Perth this quarter are automotive fuel (+8.4%), domestic holiday travel and accommodation (+8.4%) and tobacco (+8.4%). The rise is partially offset by falls in rents (-1.2%) and audio, visual and computing equipment (-4.2%). The fall in rents is due to high vacancy rates putting downward pressure on rental prices.


HOBART (+1.0%)

The main contributors to the rise in Hobart this quarter are domestic holiday travel and accommodation (+18.4%), tobacco (+9.7%) and automotive fuel (+3.0%). The rise in domestic holiday travel and accommodation is a result of Hobart's popularity as a holiday destination. The rise is partially offset by a fall in international holiday travel and accommodation (-2.3%).


DARWIN (+0.3%)

The main contributors to the rise in Darwin this quarter are tobacco (+8.9%), automotive fuel (+8.1%) and fruits (+11.0%). The rise is partially offset by falls in domestic holiday travel and accommodation (-9.1%) and audio, visual and computing equipment (-4.1%).


CANBERRA (+0.6%)

The main contributors to the rise in Canberra this quarter are automotive fuel (+8.9%), domestic holiday travel and accommodation (+6.2%) and tobacco (+8.8%). The rise is partially offset by falls in international holiday travel and accommodation (-1.5%) and audio, visual and computing equipment (-2.4%).