4102.0 - Australian Social Trends, 1997
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 19/06/1997
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Expenditure: Household expenditure on recreation HOUSEHOLD EXPENDITURE ON RECREATION
Income and expenditure on recreation Expenditure on recreation is closely linked to income level. In 1993-94 expenditure on recreation ranged from $38 per week (13% of the household budget) in the lowest income quintile up to $146 per week (15% of the household budget) in the highest quintile. All income levels had higher real expenditure on recreation in 1993-94 than in 1984. Average increases varied from $7 to $12 per household per week in the lower four quintiles, up to $20 in the highest quintile. In 1993-94 households comprising family groups with children in their mid to late teens or older, and young couples (reference person under 35) without children, spent over $100 per week on recreation. These households spent more than other household types on recreation partly because they had the highest disposable (after tax) incomes. However, when household expenditure is averaged over the number of household members, those who spent the most on recreation were young couples without children, other young people (either living alone or in group households), and couples, without children, in the early-retirement age group (reference person 55-64). These households spent $40 or more per person per week on recreation. With the exception of early-retirement age couples (among whom full-time employment rates were relatively low), these households also had well above average per capita disposable incomes. Younger families with dependent children, including one-parent families, spent the least on recreation (around $20 per person per week). These households also had the lowest per capita disposable incomes. Elderly couples (reference person aged 65 years or older) spent significantly less on recreation than early-retirement aged couples. In 1993-94 elderly couples spent $27 per person per week on recreation compared to $42 for early-retirement aged couples. Elderly singles also had relatively modest expenditure on recreation ($24 per week). HOUSEHOLD CHARACTERISTICS AND EXPENDITURE ON RECREATION, 1993-94
Source: Household Expenditure Survey, Australia: Household Characteristics (cat. no. 6531.0). Little change in recreation spending patterns Although Australian households are spending more on recreation overall, there has been little change in recreation spending patterns. In 1993-94, the three main areas of recreation expenditure were: holidays (accounting for 30% of the total recreation budget); entertainment and recreational services (19%); and TV and other audio-visual equipment (17%). Between 1984 and 1993-94, there appears to have been a small increase in the proportion of the household recreation budget spent in these three areas and a slight decline in the proportion spent on other recreational equipment, and on reading material. In 1993-94 households spent 12% of their recreation budget on recreational equipment such as sporting goods, toys, musical instruments and photographic equipment, and 10% on reading material such as books, magazines and newspapers. Young adult only households spent more of their recreation budget on TV and other audio-visual equipment than most other households and less on reading material such as books, magazines and newspapers. On the other hand, older adult only households (reference person aged 55 years or older) spent less of their recreation budget on TV and other audio-visual equipment than most other households and more on reading material. These households also spent a bigger portion of their recreation budget on holidays than most other households and less on entertainment, recreational services and recreational equipment. Families with young children spent more of their recreation budget on recreational equipment such as sporting goods, hobbies, toys and games than most other households and less on holidays. RECREATION SPENDING PATTERNS Source: Household Expenditure Survey: Australia: Detailed Expenditure Items (cat. no. 6535.0). HOUSEHOLD CHARACTERISTICS AND RECREATION SPENDING PATTERNS, 1993-94
Source: Household Expenditure Survey (unpublished data). Holidays In 1993-94 Australian households spent an average of $23 per week ($1,220 per year) on holiday travel, accommodation and package tours in Australia and overseas. This represents an increase, in real terms, of $5 per week ($260 per year) since 1984. Average weekly expenditure on holidays ranged from $12 per household ($8 per person) in the lowest quintile to $48 per household ($15 per person) in the highest quintile. The highest and lowest quintiles used more of their total recreation budget for holidays (33%) than the middle income groups (27%). Older couples spent more of their recreation budget on holidays than any other household type: 46% ($38 per week) for early-retirement age couples and 39% ($21 per week) for elderly couples. On a per person basis, the biggest spenders on holidays were early- retirement age couples ($19 per person per week) followed by young couples and lone-person households ($15-16 per person per week). Australian households spend a significant, though declining, proportion of their holiday budget on overseas holidays (40% in 1993-94 compared to 44% in 1984). Higher income households spend a greater proportion of their holiday budgets on overseas travel than lower income households. HOUSEHOLD EXPENDITURE ON HOLIDAYS
Source: Household Expenditure Survey, Australia: Detailed Expenditure Items (cat. no. 6535.0). Sport and entertainment In 1993-94 Australian households spent on average 19% of their recreation budget, or $15 per week, on entertainment (such as cinema, theatre, night clubs, zoos and sporting events) and recreational services (such as sports participation fees and charges and the hire and repair of sporting and other recreational equipment). Watching and playing sports are favourite recreational pursuits for many Australian households. In 1993-94 households spent an average of $7 per week on sport: $4.25 on sports participation fees and charges such as green fees, court hire, sports lessons, equipment hire, and health and fitness studio charges; $2.50 per week on purchase of sporting equipment; and 50 cents per week on spectator admission to sporting events. Total expenditure on sport ranged from $1.80 per person per week in the lowest quintile to $4.80 per person in the highest quintile. Movies and live theatre are popular forms of entertainment and, despite the growing popularity of home videos, expenditure on these forms of entertainment has not declined. In 1993-94 households spent an average of $2.50 per week on cinema and live theatre admission charges (about half on each). Expenditure per person increased with income level, from 60 cents per person per week in the lowest quintile to $1.70 in the highest quintile. AVERAGE WEEKLY EXPENDITURE ON SPORT, CINEMA AND THEATRE
Source: Household Expenditure Survey, Australia: Detailed Expenditure Items (cat. no. 6535.0). TV and other audio-visual equipment Purchases of television and other audio-visual equipment (including tapes, discs and cassettes) accounted for 17% of the household recreation budget or $13 per week. Of this amount, households spent an average of $4.50 per week on radio and stereo/hi-fi equipment (including audio discs, records, cassettes and tapes); $3.70 per week on home computer equipment and software; $3.00 on television and TV games; and $2 per week on video cassette recorders and equipment (including blank and pre-recorded video cassettes and discs). Households spent a further $1.40 per week on video hire. Between 1984 and 1993-94 spending on TV and other audio-visual equipment increased in real terms by an average of $7.10 per household per week. Almost half of this increase ($3.20) was for home computer equipment and software. As with other types of recreation expenditure, spending on TV and other audio-visual equipment increased with household income; from $3.10 per person per week in the lowest quintile to $7.40 in the highest quintile. Younger households spent more than older households on TV and other audio-visual equipment. For example, young couples spent $21 per week; young one-person households spent $18 per week ; elderly couples spent $4.30 per week and elderly one-person households spent $2.20 per week. Why has spending on recreation increased? Between 1984 and 1993-94, Australian households increased their spending on recreation, even though total expenditure on goods and services has changed little in the same period. All household types reported increased real expenditure on recreation, from $1.50 per week for elderly one-person households up to $23 per week for young couples without children. It would appear that consumers have generally changed their preferences in favour of recreational activities and away from other discretionary expenditure, tobacco and alcohol for example. Between 1984 and 1993-94 expenditure on tobacco and alcoholic beverages declined in real terms by $11 per household per week. CHANGING EXPENDITURE PATTERNS
(b) Includes fuel and power. (c) Includes miscellaneous goods and services. Source: Household Expenditure Survey, Australia: Detailed Expenditure Items (cat. no. 6535.0).
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