MAIN CONTRIBUTORS TO CHANGE
PENSIONER AND BENEFICIARY HOUSEHOLDS
The PBLCI rose 0.1% in the December quarter 2014. The main contributor to the rise was alcohol and tobacco (+2.6%), mainly due to rises in tobacco resulting in part from the flow on effect from the federal excise tax increase on 1 September 2014. Recreation and culture (+0.6%) also contributed to the rise, mainly due to rises in domestic holiday travel and accommodation and international holiday travel and accommodation.
Transport (-2.7%) contributed the most significant partial offset, largely driven by a fall in automotive fuel. In Australia, average unleaded petrol prices reached a low of $1.17 per litre in December 2014, the lowest recorded average daily price since February 2009. Health (-2.7%) also provided a partial offset, largely due to a fall in pharmaceutical products due the cyclical effect of a greater proportion of consumers exceeding the Pharmaceutical Benefit Scheme (PBS) safety net.
The PBLCI recorded a smaller rise than the CPI (+0.2%) in the December quarter 2014. PBLCI households have a relatively higher proportion of expenditure on health, which recorded a fall this quarter (-2.7%).
The PBLCI and CPI both rose 1.7% through the year to the December quarter 2014.
EMPLOYEE HOUSEHOLDS
The living cost index for employee households rose 0.1% in the December quarter 2014. The main contributor to the rise was alcohol and tobacco (+1.6%), mainly due to rises in tobacco resulting in part from the flow on effect from the federal excise tax increase on 1 September 2014. Recreation and culture (+1.0%) also contributed to the rise, mainly due to rises in domestic holiday travel and accommodation.
Transport (-2.3%) contributed the most significant partial offset, largely driven by a fall in automotive fuel. In Australia, average unleaded petrol prices reached a low of $1.17 per litre in December 2014, the lowest recorded average daily price since February 2009.
The LCI for employee households recorded a smaller rise than the CPI (+0.2%) in the December quarter 2014. The housing group in the SLCIs does not include new dwelling purchase by owner-occupiers, which was a major contributor to the rise in the CPI this quarter. For further information, see paragraph 14 of the Explanatory Notes.
The LCI for employee households rose 1.6% through the year to the December quarter 2014 compared to the CPI which rose 1.7% through the year to the December quarter 2014.
AGE PENSIONER HOUSEHOLDS
The living cost index for age pensioner households fell 0.1% in the December quarter 2014. The main contributor to the fall was transport (-2.6%), largely driven by a fall in automotive fuel. In Australia, average unleaded petrol prices reached a low of $1.17 per litre in December 2014, the lowest recorded average daily price since February 2009. Health (-2.5%) also contributed to the fall, driven by falls in pharmaceutical products, which fell mainly due to the cyclical effect of a greater proportion of consumers exceeding the Pharmaceutical Benefit Scheme (PBS) safety net compared to the September quarter 2014.
Alcohol and tobacco (+1.4%) contributed the most significant partial offset, mainly due to rises in tobacco resulting in part from the flow on effect from the federal excise tax increase on 1 September 2014. Recreation and Culture (+1.0%) also contributed to the rise, mainly due to rises in domestic holiday travel and accommodation.
The LCI for age pensioner households recorded a fall, while the CPI recorded a rise (+0.2%) in the December quarter 2014. Age pensioner household have a higher expenditure on health than the CPI population, which fell this quarter. In addition to this, the housing group in the SLCIs does not include new dwelling purchase by owner-occupiers, which was a strong contributor to the rise in the CPI this quarter. For further information, see paragraph 14 of the Explanatory Notes.
The LCI for age pensioner households rose 1.2% through the year to the December quarter 2014 compared to the CPI which rose 1.7% through the year to the December quarter 2014.
OTHER GOVERNMENT TRANSFER RECIPIENT HOUSEHOLDS
The living cost index for other government transfer recipient households rose 0.2% in the December quarter 2014. The main contributors to the rise were alcohol and tobacco (+3.1%), mainly due to rises in tobacco resulting in part from the flow on effect from the federal excise tax increase on 1 September 2014. Housing (+0.4%) also contributed to the rise.
Transport (-2.8%) contributed the most significant partial offset, largely driven by a fall in automotive fuel. In Australia, average unleaded petrol prices reached a low of $1.17 per litre in December 2014, the lowest recorded average daily price since February 2009. Health (-3.2%) also provided a partial offset, largely due to a fall in pharmaceutical products due the cyclical effect of a greater proportion of consumers exceeding the Pharmaceutical Benefit Scheme (PBS) safety net.
The LCI for other government transfer recipient households and the CPI, both rose 0.2% in the December quarter 2014. Other government transfer recipient households have a higher expenditure on alcohol and tobacco, which rose this quarter, but also have a higher expenditure on transport and health, which both fell this quarter.
The LCI for other government transfer recipient households rose 1.9% while the CPI rose 1.7% through the year to the December quarter 2014.
SELF-FUNDED RETIREE HOUSEHOLDS
The living cost index for self-funded retiree households rose 0.3% in the December quarter 2014. The main contributor to the rise was recreation and culture (+2.0%), mainly due to rises in domestic holiday travel and accommodation.
Transport (-2.2%) contributed the most significant partial offset, largely driven by a fall in automotive fuel. In Australia, average unleaded petrol prices reached a low of $1.17 per litre in December 2014, the lowest recorded average daily price since February 2009.
The LCI for self-funded retiree households recorded a larger movement than the CPI (+0.2%) in the December quarter 2014. Self-funded retiree households have a relatively higher proportion of expenditure on recreation and culture and a relatively lower proportion of expenditure on housing than the CPI population, which both rose this quarter.
The LCI for self-funded retiree households rose 1.5% through the year to the December quarter 2014 compared to the CPI which rose 1.7% through the year to the December quarter 2014.
Percentage change, Commodity group - September Quarter 2014 to December Quarter 2014 |
|
 | Pensioner and beneficiary LCI | Employee LCI | Age pensioner LCI | Other government transfer recipient LCI | Self-funded retiree LCI | Consumer Price Index (CPI) |
| Weighted average of eight capital cities | | | | | | % |
|
| Food and non-alcoholic beverages | 0.0 | 0.1 | -0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.1 |
| Alcohol and tobacco | 2.6 | 1.6 | 1.4 | 3.1 | 1.6 | 1.7 |
| Clothing and footwear | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.1 |
| Housing(a) | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 0.5 |
| Furnishings, household equipment and services | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 0.5 | 0.3 | 0.5 |
| Health | -2.7 | -0.8 | -2.5 | -3.2 | -1.0 | -0.9 |
| Transport | -2.7 | -2.3 | -2.6 | -2.8 | -2.2 | -2.2 |
| Communication | 0.0 | -0.1 | 0.0 | -0.1 | -0.1 | -0.1 |
| Recreation and culture | 0.6 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.4 | 2.0 | 1.0 |
| Education | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Insurance and financial services(b) | 0.8 | 0.7 | 1.1 | 0.7 | 1.2 | 1.0 |
| All groups | 0.1 | 0.1 | -0.1 | 0.2 | 0.3 | 0.2 |
|
| (a) House purchases are included in the CPI but excluded from the other indexes. |
| (b) Includes interest charges and general insurance, except for the CPI. Interest charges are excluded from the CPI and general insurance is calculated on a different basis. |
Quality Declaration 
Print Page
Print All