Although the CPI has only been compiled from 1948, an approximate long-term measure of retail price change has been constructed by linking together other selected retail price index series (see graph 28.4 and table 28.5). The index numbers are expressed on a reference base 1945 = 100.0, which was the end of a period of relative price stability during World War II. The successive series linked together to produce this long-term series of index numbers are:
- from 1850 to 1901, Sydney Retail Price Index;
- from 1901 to 1914, the A Series Index;
- from 1914 to 1946-47, the C Series Index;
- from 1946-47 to 1948-49, a combination of the C Series Index (excluding rent) and the housing group of the CPI; and
- from 1948-49 onwards, the CPI.
For more information about these series see Year Book Australia 1995 (1301.0).
![](/AUSSTATS/ABS@.NSF/2f762f95845417aeca25706c00834efa/632c047b9dc5da2aca256f2a000ecf0b/Body/0.17F8!OpenElement&FieldElemFormat=gif)
28.5 RETAIL PRICE INDEX NUMBERS(a)(b) - 1850 to 2000 |
|
Year | Index no. | Year | Index no. | Year | Index no. | Year | Index no. | Year | Index no. | Year | Index no. |
|
1850 | 53 | 1880 | *45 | 1910 | 52 | 1940 | *85 | 1970 | *313 | 2000 | 2289 |
1851 | 56 | 1881 | *46 | 1911 | 53 | 1941 | *89 | 1971 | *332 | ![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | ![](/icons/ecblank.gif) |
1852 | 56 | 1882 | *56 | 1912 | 59 | 1942 | *97 | 1972 | *352 | ![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | ![](/icons/ecblank.gif) |
1853 | 69 | 1883 | *55 | 1913 | 59 | 1943 | *101 | 1973 | *385 | ![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | ![](/icons/ecblank.gif) |
1854 | 89 | 1884 | *52 | 1914 | 61 | 1944 | *100 | 1974 | *443 | ![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | ![](/icons/ecblank.gif) |
1855 | 103 | 1885 | *53 | 1915 | 70 | 1945 | *100 | 1975 | *510 | ![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | ![](/icons/ecblank.gif) |
1856 | 78 | 1886 | *56 | 1916 | 71 | 1946 | 102 | 1976 | *579 | ![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | ![](/icons/ecblank.gif) |
1857 | 82 | 1887 | *52 | 1917 | 75 | 1947 | 106 | 1977 | 650 | ![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | ![](/icons/ecblank.gif) |
1858 | 86 | 1888 | *52 | 1918 | 80 | 1948 | 117 | 1978 | 702 | ![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | ![](/icons/ecblank.gif) |
1859 | 73 | 1889 | *51 | 1919 | 91 | 1949 | 128 | 1979 | 766 | ![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | ![](/icons/ecblank.gif) |
1860 | 72 | 1890 | *51 | 1920 | 103 | 1950 | 140 | 1980 | 844 | ![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | ![](/icons/ecblank.gif) |
1861 | 71 | 1891 | *50 | 1921 | 90 | 1951 | 167 | 1981 | 926 | ![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | ![](/icons/ecblank.gif) |
1862 | 65 | 1892 | *49 | 1922 | 87 | 1952 | 196 | 1982 | 1,028 | ![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | ![](/icons/ecblank.gif) |
1863 | 58 | 1893 | *48 | 1923 | 89 | 1953 | 205 | 1983 | 1,132 | ![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | ![](/icons/ecblank.gif) |
1864 | 60 | 1894 | *42 | 1924 | 88 | 1954 | 206 | 1984 | 1,177 | ![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | ![](/icons/ecblank.gif) |
1865 | 64 | 1895 | *42 | 1925 | 88 | 1955 | 211 | 1985 | 1,257 | ![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | ![](/icons/ecblank.gif) |
1866 | 60 | 1896 | *42 | 1926 | 90 | 1956 | 224 | 1986 | 1,370 | ![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | ![](/icons/ecblank.gif) |
1867 | 50 | 1897 | *42 | 1927 | 89 | 1957 | 229 | 1987 | 1,487 | ![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | ![](/icons/ecblank.gif) |
1868 | 54 | 1898 | *41 | 1928 | 89 | 1958 | 233 | 1988 | 1,594 | ![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | ![](/icons/ecblank.gif) |
1869 | 46 | 1899 | 45 | 1929 | 91 | 1959 | 237 | 1989 | 1,714 | ![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | ![](/icons/ecblank.gif) |
1870 | 48 | 1900 | 43 | 1930 | 87 | 1960 | 245 | 1990 | 1,839 | ![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | ![](/icons/ecblank.gif) |
1871 | 47 | 1901 | 47 | 1931 | 78 | 1961 | 252 | 1991 | 1,898 | ![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | ![](/icons/ecblank.gif) |
1872 | 43 | 1902 | 50 | 1932 | 74 | 1962 | 251 | 1992 | 1,917 | ![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | ![](/icons/ecblank.gif) |
1873 | 47 | 1903 | 49 | 1933 | 71 | 1963 | 252 | 1993 | 1,952 | ![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | ![](/icons/ecblank.gif) |
1874 | 52 | 1904 | 46 | 1934 | 73 | 1964 | 258 | 1994 | 1,989 | ![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | ![](/icons/ecblank.gif) |
1875 | 53 | 1905 | 48 | 1935 | 74 | 1965 | 268 | 1995 | 2,082 | ![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | ![](/icons/ecblank.gif) |
1876 | 51 | 1906 | 48 | 1936 | 75 | 1966 | 276 | 1996 | 2,136 | ![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | ![](/icons/ecblank.gif) |
1877 | 53 | 1907 | 48 | 1937 | 78 | 1967 | 286 | 1997 | 2,141 | ![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | ![](/icons/ecblank.gif) |
1878 | 51 | 1908 | 51 | 1938 | 80 | 1968 | 293 | 1998 | 2,159 | ![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | ![](/icons/ecblank.gif) |
1879 | 45 | 1909 | 51 | 1939 | 82 | 1969 | 302 | 1999 | 2,191 | | |
|
(a) Reference base year 1945 = 100.0.
(b) The index numbers relate to Sydney from 1850 to 1900; from 1901 to 1980 they relate to the weighted average of six State capital cities; and from 1981 to the weighted average of eight capital cities. Index numbers are for calendar years. |
* Revised 21 March 2002
Source: ABS data available on request, Consumer Price Index. |