6467.0 - Pensioner and Beneficiary Living Cost Index, Mar 2012 Quality Declaration 
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 02/05/2012   
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MAIN CONTRIBUTORS TO CHANGE



The PBLCI rose 0.1% for the March quarter 2012. Health (+8.6%) made the largest contribution primarily due to rises in pharmaceutical products. Prices of pharmaceutical products rose mainly as a result of the cyclical reduction in the proportion of consumers who qualify for subsidised medications under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme at the start of each calendar year. Electricity, rents, automotive fuel and tobacco also recorded rises for the March quarter 2012.

Food and non-alcoholic beverages (-2.8%) contributed the most significant offset largely due to falls in fruit. The fall in fruit prices can be attributed to favourable growing conditions for most fruit following recent natural disasters. Interest charges, furniture and audio, visual and computing equipment also recorded falls for the March quarter 2012.

The PBLCI and the CPI recorded the same movement (+0.1%) in the March quarter 2012. Pensioner and beneficiary households have a relatively higher proportion (compared to the CPI population) of expenditure for fruit, which fell this quarter. This was offset by a higher weight for pharmaceutical products, which recorded a rise this quarter.

The PBLCI rose 1.4% through the year to the March quarter 2012. The PBLCI showed a smaller rise compared to the CPI (+1.6%) through the year to the March quarter 2012.


GRAPHS

Graph 1: Pensioner and Beneficiary Living Cost Index, Percentage change from previous quarter
Graph: Graph 1: Pensioner and Beneficiary Living Cost Index, Percentage change from previous quarter


Graph 2: Pensioner and Beneficiary Living Cost Index, Index numbers
Graph: Graph 2: Pensioner and Beneficiary Living Cost Index, Index numbers


Graph 3: Comparison of Living Cost Index numbers
Graph: Graph 3: Comparison of Living Cost Index numbers

Table 1: Pensioner and Beneficiary Living Cost Index, All Groups, Weighted average of eight capital cities - index numbers, percentage change and points change
Percentage change
Points change
Quarters
Index Numbers(a)
From previous quarter
From corresponding quarter of previous year
From previous quarter
From corresponding quarter of previous year
2009
September
108.2
1.0
2.0
1.1
2.1
December
108.8
0.6
2.6
0.6
2.8
2010
March
110.1
1.2
2.9
1.3
3.1
June
111.2
1.0
3.8
1.1
4.1
September
112.3
1.0
3.8
1.1
4.1
December
113.1
0.7
4.0
0.8
4.3
2011
March
115.2
1.9
4.6
2.1
5.1
June
116.2
0.9
4.5
1.0
5.1
September
116.9
0.6
4.1
0.7
4.6
December
116.7
-0.2
3.2
-0.2
3.6
2012
March
116.8
0.1
1.4
0.1
1.6
(a) Reference base of index: June quarter 2007 = 100.0

Table 2: Percentage change in analytical living cost indexes, PBLCI and CPI, by commodity group - December Quarter 2011 to March Quarter 2012
Commodity group
Age pensioner ALCI(a)
Other government transfer recipient ALCI(a)
PBLCI
CPI(b)
Food and non-alcoholic beverages
-3.2
-2.4
-2.8
-2.1
Alcohol and tobacco
1.3
1.7
1.6
1.4
Clothing and footwear
-2.1
-2.5
-2.3
-1.8
Housing(c)
1.3
1.2
1.3
0.6
Furnishings, household equipment and services
-1.0
-0.8
-0.9
-1.1
Health
8.1
9.9
8.6
4.4
Transport
1.3
1.2
1.2
1.1
Communication
0.1
0.1
0.0
0.1
Recreation and culture
-1.7
-1.5
-1.5
-2.0
Education
6.5
6.3
6.4
6.0
Insurance and financial services(d)
-0.1
-2.3
-1.6
1.0
All groups
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
(a) As published in Analytical Living Cost Indexes for Selected Australian Household Types (cat. no. 6463.0)
(b) As published in Consumer Price Index, Australia (cat. no. 6401.0)
(c) House purchases are included in the CPI but excluded from the population subgroup indexes.
(d) 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.

Table 3: Points contribution to quarterly change, index points - December Quarter 2011 to March Quarter 2012
Commodity group
Age pensioner ALCI(a)
Other government transfer recipient ALCI(a)
PBLCI(b)
CPI(a)
Food and non-alcoholic beverages
-0.78
-0.53
-0.65
-0.40
Alcohol and tobacco
0.12
0.20
0.16
0.11
Clothing and footwear
-0.12
-0.14
-0.14
-0.08
Housing(c)
0.28
0.34
0.31
0.15
Furnishings, household equipment and services
-0.12
-0.08
-0.09
-0.11
Health
0.79
0.33
0.51
0.26
Transport
0.13
0.14
0.14
0.14
Communication
0.01
0.00
0.01
0.00
Recreation and culture
-0.23
-0.16
-0.19
-0.28
Education
0.02
0.17
0.11
0.21
Insurance and financial services(d)
-0.01
-0.17
-0.11
0.06
All groups
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
(a) Re-referenced to base of June quarter 2007 = 100.0
(b) Reference base of index: June quarter 2007 = 100.0
(c) House purchases are included in the CPI but excluded from the population subgroup indexes.
(d) 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.

Table 4: Contribution to total index, by commodity group, index points - December Quarter 2011 to March Quarter 2012
Age pensioner ALCI(a)
Other government transfer recipient ALCI(a)
PBLCI(b)
CPI(a)
Commodity group
Dec Qtr 2011
Mar Qtr 2012
Dec Qtr 2011
Mar Qtr 2012
Dec Qtr 2011
Mar Qtr 2012
Dec Qtr 2011
Mar Qtr 2012
Food and non-alcoholic beverages
25.21
24.43
22.05
21.52
23.34
22.69
18.73
18.33
Alcohol and tobacco
7.84
7.96
11.56
11.76
10.05
10.21
8.11
8.23
Clothing and footwear
5.72
5.60
5.75
5.61
5.74
5.60
4.55
4.47
Housing(c)
20.66
20.94
27.59
27.93
24.78
25.09
25.83
25.98
Furnishings, household equipment and services
12.84
12.72
9.01
8.93
10.56
10.47
10.34
10.23
Health
9.72
10.51
3.41
3.74
5.98
6.49
5.86
6.12
Transport
10.89
11.02
11.30
11.44
11.13
11.27
13.10
13.24
Communication
4.29
4.30
4.92
4.92
4.66
4.67
3.49
3.49
Recreation and culture
13.47
13.24
11.12
10.96
12.08
11.89
14.46
14.19
Education
0.33
0.35
2.76
2.93
1.77
1.88
3.61
3.82
Insurance and financial services(d)
4.82
4.81
7.92
7.75
6.66
6.55
5.84
5.89
All groups
115.8
115.9
117.4
117.5
116.7
116.8
113.9
114.0
(a) Re-referenced to base of June quarter 2007 = 100.0
(b) Reference base of index: June quarter 2007 = 100.0
(c) House purchases are included in the CPI but excluded from the population subgroup indexes.
(d) 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.

Table 5: Percentage change in analytical living cost indexes, PBLCI and CPI, Commodity group - March Quarter 2011 to March Quarter 2012
Commodity group
Age pensioner ALCI(a)
Other government transfer recipient ALCI(a)
PBLCI
CPI(b)
Food and non-alcoholic beverages
-4.0
-3.4
-3.7
-2.5
Alcohol and tobacco
3.3
4.7
4.2
3.5
Clothing and footwear
1.0
0.8
0.8
1.5
Housing(c)
5.4
4.9
5.0
3.4
Furnishings, household equipment and services
0.1
0.5
0.4
0.7
Health
4.7
4.4
4.5
4.2
Transport
3.1
3.1
3.0
2.5
Communication
1.8
1.6
1.6
1.6
Recreation and culture
-0.6
-0.7
-0.7
-0.9
Education
6.6
6.5
6.5
6.0
Insurance and financial services(d)
2.6
0.1
0.9
4.0
All groups
1.1
1.6
1.4
1.6
(a) As published in Analytical Living Cost Indexes for Selected Australian Household Types (cat. no. 6463.0)
(b) As published in Consumer Price Index, Australia (cat. no. 6401.0)
(c) House purchases are included in the CPI but excluded from the population subgroup indexes.
(d) 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.


The following tables have been temporarily suspended, until data becomes available to calculate through the year estimates of points contributions and contributions to All Groups:
  • Table 6: Points contribution to annual change, index points
  • Table 7: Contribution to total index, Commodity group, index points