CONSUMPTION AND INVESTMENT


Retail trade

New motor vehicle sales

Private new capital expenditure


RETAIL TRADE

From this issue concurrent seasonal adjustment and current price trend estimates from November 2008 are reinstated to the retail trade series. The trend series were suspended as at November 2008 as it was not possible to determine the trend in retail turnover through the period affected by the Government's stimulus packages and other influences associated with global economic conditions. Without being able to determine the trend series, concurrent seasonal adjustment factors would have been unduly influenced by the spending resulting from these influences. As a result, forward seasonal factors were used. It is now possible to assess, for the purposes of trend estimation and concurrent seasonal adjustment, the impact on the Retail trade series of these influences.

The September 2009 trend estimate for Queensland's retail turnover was $4,108 million, an increase of 0.1% from August 2009. Food retailing accounted for the greatest proportion of retail turnover in September 2009, at 41%, followed by Household goods retailing, at 18%.

Further information about this topic can be accessed at Retail Trade, Australia (cat. no. 8501.0) or by contacting the National Information and Referral Service on 1300 135 070. This publication is released monthly.


NEW MOTOR VEHICLE SALES

Following the Federal Government Budget in May 2009, the eligibility period for the Small Business and General Business Tax Break was extended to December 2009. The rebate level was also increased for small businesses, allowing eligible businesses to claim an increased tax deduction on the purchase of new motor vehicles.

The trend series attempts to measure the underlying behaviour in new motor vehicle sales. In the short term, this measurement may be significantly affected by unusual influences in the original and seasonally adjusted data, like those observed in May and June 2009. If the trend estimates in the publication were to be calculated without fully accounting for this irregular event, they would be likely to provide a misleading view of the underlying trend in new motor vehicle sales activity.

The new motor vehicle sales trend series has therefore been suspended from May 2009. The trend series will be reintroduced when more certainty emerges in the underlying behaviour of new car sales.

In seasonally adjusted terms, 8,929 new passenger vehicles and 16,660 new vehicles in total were sold in Queensland in September 2009. Corresponding sales for Australia were 46,186 and 77,744. When comparing September 2009 with August 2009, Queensland recorded a decrease of 0.4% in passenger vehicle sales.Total new vehicle sales increased by 3.8% over the same period.

In September 1999, new passenger vehicle sales accounted for 61% of total new vehicle sales in Queensland. By September 2009, the proportion for new passenger vehicle sales had fallen to 54%.

Further information about new motor vehicle sales can be accessed from Sales of New Motor Vehicles, Australia (cat. no. 9314.0) or by contacting the National Information and Referral Service on 1300 135 070. This publication is released monthly.


PRIVATE NEW CAPITAL EXPENDITURE

Between the March 2009 and the June 2009 quarters, the Queensland chain volume trend estimate of private new capital expenditure decreased by 5.8% to $4,915 million.

During the same period, expenditure on Equipment, plant and machinery decreased by 5.3% to $2,663 million while expenditure on Buildings and structures decreased by 6.3% to $2,256 million.

Comparing the June 2009 quarter with the June 2008 quarter, Queensland's total private new capital expenditure increased by 2.7%. Expenditure on Equipment, plant and machinery decreased by 6.8% and expenditure on Buildings and structures increased by 17%.

Further information on this topic can be accessed at Private New Capital Expenditure and Expected Expenditure, Australia (cat. no. 5625.0) or by contacting the National Information and Referral Service on 1300 135 070. This publication is released quarterly.