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1 ALL GROUPS, Index Numbers(a)
2 ALL GROUPS, Percentage Changes
CPI All Groups, Weighted Average of Eight Capital Cities, Index Numbers(a)


JUNE QTR KEY FIGURES

	Mar Qtr 2004 to Jun Qtr 2004	Jun Qtr 2003 to Jun Qtr 2004
Weighted average of eight capital cities	% change	% change
Food	-0.9	2.3
Alcohol and tobacco	0.8	4.4
Clothing and footwear	1.1	-0.9
Housing	0.7	4.0
Household furnishings, supplies and services	0.0	-0.6
Health	3.1	6.6
Transportation	1.7	3.4
Communication	0.4	1.4
Recreation	-0.3	-1.7
Education	0.0	7.8
Miscellaneous	0.0	2.7
All groups	0.5	2.5
All groups excluding Housing	0.4	2.1

All Groups, Quarterly change

Contribution to quarterly change, June quarter 2004

JUNE QTR KEY POINTS


THE ALL GROUPS CPI

• rose 0.5% in the June quarter 2004, compared with 0.9% in the March quarter 2004.

• rose 2.5% through the year to June quarter 2004.

• contributing most to the overall increase this quarter were rises in automotive fuel (+5.8%), hospital and medical services (+5.1%), house purchase (+1.4%), rents (+0.7%), women's outerwear (+2.0%), beer (+1.0%), soft drinks, waters and juices (+1.3%), take away and fast foods (+0.6%) and overseas holiday travel and accommodation (+1.0%).

• partially offsetting these increases were falls in vegetables (-11.4%), domestic holiday travel and accommodation (-1.7%), fruit (-3.2%), audio, visual and computing equipment (-5.2%), electricity (-1.4%) and towels and linen (-3.3%).

• contributing most to the annual increase were rises in automotive fuel (+11.7%), house purchase (+5.3%), hospital and medical services (+8.6%), beer (+6.9%), rents (+2.7%), fruit (+13.8%) and tobacco (+4.1%). Partially offsetting these increases were falls in audio, visual and computing equipment (-20.7%), motor vehicles (-2.9%), overseas holiday travel and accommodation (-7.1%), bread (-4.5%) and furniture (-1.4%).

EXPERIMENTAL PRICE INDEX FOR FINANCIAL SERVICES

For some years now there has been considerable community interest in the prices paid by households for financial services. An outcome of a review of the Consumer Price Index (CPI) undertaken in 1997 was a commitment by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) to develop a price index for financial services for eventual inclusion in the CPI. This index was to be designed to cover the explicit fees and charges paid by households as well as any indirect costs embodied in interest rate margins.

The results of the ABS investigation are presented in an Information Paper: Experimental Price Indexes for Financial Services (cat. no. 6413.0), released on 12 July 2004.

This publication is available from any ABS office or on this site.

ROUNDING

Any discrepancies between totals and sums of components in this publication are due to rounding.

INQUIRIES

For further information about these and related statistics, contact Steve Whennan on Canberra (02) 6252 6251 or the National Information and Referral Service on 1300 135 070.

ANALYSES AND COMMENTS


MAIN CONTRIBUTORS TO CHANGE


CPI GROUPS

WEIGHTED AVERAGE OF EIGHT CAPITAL CITIES, Percentage change from previous quarter

TRANSPORTATION (+1.7%)

The rise in transportation prices this quarter was mainly due to increases in the price of automotive fuel (+5.8%). Automotive fuel prices rose in January (+4.7%), fell in February (-2.9%) and rose in March (+3.9%), April (+0.4%), May (+5.2%) and June (+0.8%).

The price of motor vehicles rose slightly (+0.1%) in the June quarter 2004 following five consecutive quarterly falls. An increase in the price of some locally produced motor vehicles, due to some list price increases and fewer bonus offers, was largely offset by falls in the price of a number of imported models, resulting mainly from competitive pricing and incentives offered by dealers.

Over the twelve months to June quarter 2004, transportation prices rose 3.4%. Increases in automotive fuel (+11.7%), other motoring charges (+6.1%), motor vehicle repair and servicing (+2.7%) and urban transport fares (+5.0%) were partially offset by a fall in motor vehicles (-2.9%).

FOOD (-0.9%)

The fall in food prices this quarter was mainly attributable to a decrease in the price of vegetables (-11.4%) and fruit (-3.2%). These decreases were partially offset by price rises for soft drinks, waters and juices (+1.3%), take away and fast foods (+0.6%) and restaurant meals (+0.7%).

The decrease in fruit and vegetable prices from the historically high prices recorded in the March quarter 2004 was due to improved growing conditions and supplies for a number of vegetable crops such as lettuce, tomatoes, potatoes and winter vegetables and the increased availability of seasonal fruit such as apples and pears.

Over the twelve months to June quarter 2004, food prices rose 2.3%. The main contributors to the increase were fruit (+13.8%), take away and fast foods (+3.3%) and restaurant meals (+3.6%). Partially offsetting these increases were falls in the price of bread (-4.5%) and tea, coffee and food drinks (-5.7%).

HEALTH (+3.1%)

The rise in health costs this quarter was due to increases in hospital and medical services (+5.1%) and dental services (+1.0%). These increases were partially offset by a decrease in the net cost of pharmaceuticals (-0.7%), mainly due to the effect of the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme safety net.

Hospital and medical services rose mainly as a result of an average increase of around 8% in private health fund premiums from 1 April 2004.

Over the twelve months to June quarter 2004, health costs rose 6.6%. Hospital and medical services (+8.6%), dental services (+5.5%) and pharmaceuticals (+2.4%) were mainly responsible for this increase.

HOUSING (+0.7%)

The rise in housing prices this quarter was mainly due to increases in house purchase (+1.4%), rents (+0.7%) and house repairs and maintenance (+0.8%). Partially offsetting these increases were falls in electricity (-1.4%) and gas and other household fuels (-0.7%).

The house purchase index rose in all capital cities, driven by increasing labour and building material costs. The increase in Melbourne was moderated to some extent by the introduction by the Victorian Government of a First Home Owner Grant of $5000 in May 2004 which, for eligible home buyers, is in addition to the existing Commonwealth First Home Owner Grant.

The fall in the price of electricity was due to the commencement of the Winter Energy Concession that applies in Melbourne from May until November each year and the return to off-peak rates in Adelaide in the June quarter, from the peak rates that apply in the March quarter each year.

Over the twelve months to June quarter 2004, housing prices rose 4.0%. All components of housing increased with house purchase (+5.3%), rents (+2.7%) and property rates and charges (+6.2%) being the most significant.

ALCOHOL AND TOBACCO (+0.8%)

The rise in the alcohol and tobacco index this quarter was due to increases in the price of beer (+1.0%), wine (+0.8%), tobacco (+0.5%) and spirits (+0.7%).

Beer prices rose in the June quarter due to the flow-on effect of some price increases following the indexed adjustment to the Federal excise on alcohol in February and the reversal of some specialling activity in the March quarter. In addition, there was a reduction in the alcohol content of some mid-strength beers, which is treated as a quality adjusted price increase in the index.

Over the twelve months to June quarter 2004, alcohol and tobacco prices rose 4.4%. Prices for beer (+6.9%), tobacco (+4.1%), wine (+2.4%) and spirits (+2.7%) all increased.

CLOTHING AND FOOTWEAR (+1.1%)

The rise in the clothing and footwear index this quarter was due mainly to increases in the price of women's outerwear (+2.0%) and men's outerwear (+2.3%). Partially offsetting these increases was a decrease in men's underwear, nightwear and socks (-4.7%).

The increases in women's and men's outerwear mainly reflected prices returning to more normal levels in the June quarter, following extensive specialling associated with post-Christmas/New Year sales at specialty and department stores in the March quarter.

Over the twelve months to June quarter 2004, the clothing and footwear index fell 0.9%, with falls in most categories. Only women's outerwear (+0.6%) recorded an increase of any significance.

RECREATION (-0.3%)

The fall in the recreation index this quarter was mainly due to decreases in domestic holiday travel and accommodation (-1.7%) and audio, visual and computing equipment (-5.2%). These decreases were partially offset by an increase in the price of overseas holiday travel and accommodation (+1.0%).

The decrease in domestic holiday travel and accommodation was attributable to a seasonal reduction in accommodation and air fare prices in the June quarter following the peak rates that apply during the Christmas/New Year period. Continuing quality adjustment driven falls in computer prices, together with discounting on a number of home entertainment items by major retailers, contributed to the decrease in audio, visual and computing equipment. The increase in overseas holiday travel and accommodation prices was mainly due to a seasonal increase in air fares to Europe and North America, coinciding with the approach of summer in the Northern Hemisphere.

Over the twelve months to June quarter 2004, the recreation index fell 1.7%. The main contributors to this decrease were audio, visual and computing equipment (-20.7%) and overseas holiday travel and accommodation (-7.1%). Domestic holiday travel and accommodation (+2.8%) and other recreational activities (+4.4%), such as cultural lessons and cinema admission, provided partially offsetting increases.

TRADABLES AND NON-TRADABLES

The increase in the All groups CPI in the June quarter 2004 was largely driven by domestic cost pressures. The non-tradables component (see Table 8), which represents approximately 55% of the CPI, increased by 0.7% while the tradables component increased by 0.2%. Within non-tradables, the services component rose 0.7%, driven largely by increases in hospital and medical services, rents and house repairs and maintenance, while the goods component rose 0.6%, mainly due to the increase in the house purchase index.

Within tradables, the goods component rose 0.1%. Automotive fuel provided the largest positive contribution to this increase, while vegetables provided the most significant offsetting decrease. The services component of tradables, which comprises overseas holiday travel and accommodation, rose 1.0%.

Over the twelve months to June quarter 2004, non-tradables rose 4.1% and tradables rose 0.5%. This compares with an increase of 4.1% and a decrease of 0.5%, respectively, for these components in the twelve months to March quarter 2004.

CAPITAL CITIES COMPARISON


ALL GROUPS

ALL GROUPS: PERCENTAGE CHANGE FROM PREVIOUS QUARTER

The lower result in Melbourne was largely due to that city recording a decrease in the price of electricity and gas and other household fuels and the lowest increase in house purchase prices of all the capital cities.

Over the twelve months to June quarter 2004, the All groups CPI rose in each of the eight capital cities. The increases ranged from 1.2% in Darwin to 3.2% in Brisbane.

The increase in Brisbane was mainly attributable to that city recording the largest annual increase in the housing group.

CPI, All groups index numbers and percentage changes
	Index number(a)	Percentage change
	Jun Qtr 2004	Mar Qtr 2004 to Jun Qtr 2004	Jun Qtr 2003 to Jun Qtr 2004
Sydney	145.5	0.3	2.3
Melbourne	143.9	0.3	2.1
Brisbane	146.3	0.6	3.2
Adelaide	148.6	0.6	3.0
Perth	141.0	1.0	2.6
Hobart	144.3	0.9	2.5
Darwin	139.6	0.4	1.2
Canberra	144.8	0.6	2.9
Weighted average of eight capital cities	144.8	0.5	2.5
(a) Base of each index : 1989-90 = 100.0

									Weighted
									average of
									eight capital
Period	Sydney	Melbourne	Brisbane	Adelaide	Perth	Hobart	Darwin	Canberra	cities
2000-01	133.2	131.6	132.4	133.5	129.6	132.0	130.9	131.9	132.2
2001-02	137.2	135.3	136.3	137.2	133.1	134.7	133.7	135.2	136.0
2002-03	141.1	139.7	140.7	142.7	136.8	139.1	136.8	139.7	140.2
2003-04	144.1	142.8	144.8	147.0	139.6	142.6	138.7	143.4	143.5
2000
June	127.0	125.6	126.4	127.6	124.0	126.5	125.7	125.9	126.2
September	131.6	130.4	131.3	132.3	128.6	131.3	130.0	130.7	130.9
December	132.2	130.8	131.6	132.5	128.8	131.2	130.6	131.1	131.3
2001
March	134.0	132.2	132.7	134.1	129.6	132.1	130.7	132.2	132.7
June	135.0	133.0	134.0	135.1	131.4	133.4	132.2	133.4	133.8
September	135.4	133.6	134.2	135.3	131.5	132.8	132.5	133.2	134.2
December	136.6	134.8	135.8	136.6	132.6	133.9	133.5	134.9	135.4
2002
March	137.9	136.0	137.1	137.7	133.7	135.2	133.8	135.6	136.6
June	138.8	136.9	138.1	139.1	134.6	137.0	135.0	137.2	137.6
September	139.6	137.8	139.2	140.3	135.8	137.5	135.4	138.1	138.5
December	140.4	139.0	139.9	141.5	136.4	138.0	136.2	139.2	139.5
2003
March	142.1	140.9	141.8	144.6	137.4	140.0	137.5	140.7	141.3
June	142.2	140.9	141.8	144.3	137.4	140.8	137.9	140.7	141.3
September	142.4	141.8	143.3	145.4	138.6	141.1	137.8	141.9	142.1
December	143.6	142.1	144.2	146.2	139.2	142.0	138.5	142.9	142.8
2004
March	145.0	143.5	145.4	147.7	139.6	143.0	139.0	143.9	144.1
June	145.5	143.9	146.3	148.6	141.0	144.3	139.6	144.8	144.8
(a) Base of each index : 1989-90 = 100.0

									Weighted
									average of
									eight capital
Period	Sydney	Melbourne	Brisbane	Adelaide	Perth	Hobart	Darwin	Canberra	cities
PERCENTAGE CHANGE (from previous financial year)
2000-01	6.2	6.0	5.9	5.7	5.5	5.8	5.4	6.2	6.0
2001-02	3.0	2.8	2.9	2.8	2.7	2.0	2.1	2.5	2.9
2002-03	2.8	3.3	3.2	4.0	2.8	3.3	2.3	3.3	3.1
2003-04	2.1	2.2	2.9	3.0	2.0	2.5	1.4	2.6	2.4
PERCENTAGE CHANGE (from corresponding quarter of previous year)
2000
June	3.3	3.4	2.7	3.2	2.6	3.3	2.4	3.6	3.2
September	6.0	6.3	5.9	5.8	5.5	6.5	5.8	6.8	6.1
December	6.0	5.9	6.0	5.4	5.0	5.8	5.7	6.0	5.8
2001
March	6.5	6.0	5.7	5.8	5.3	5.4	5.1	5.8	6.0
June	6.3	5.9	6.0	5.9	6.0	5.5	5.2	6.0	6.0
September	2.9	2.5	2.2	2.3	2.3	1.1	1.9	1.9	2.5
December	3.3	3.1	3.2	3.1	3.0	2.1	2.2	2.9	3.1
2002
March	2.9	2.9	3.3	2.7	3.2	2.3	2.4	2.6	2.9
June	2.8	2.9	3.1	3.0	2.4	2.7	2.1	2.8	2.8
September	3.1	3.1	3.7	3.7	3.3	3.5	2.2	3.7	3.2
December	2.8	3.1	3.0	3.6	2.9	3.1	2.0	3.2	3.0
2003
March	3.0	3.6	3.4	5.0	2.8	3.6	2.8	3.8	3.4
June	2.4	2.9	2.7	3.7	2.1	2.8	2.1	2.6	2.7
September	2.0	2.9	2.9	3.6	2.1	2.6	1.8	2.8	2.6
December	2.3	2.2	3.1	3.3	2.1	2.9	1.7	2.7	2.4
2004
March	2.0	1.8	2.5	2.1	1.6	2.1	1.1	2.3	2.0
June	2.3	2.1	3.2	3.0	2.6	2.5	1.2	2.9	2.5
PERCENTAGE CHANGE (from previous quarter)
2000
June	1.0	0.7	0.7	0.6	0.7	1.0	1.0	0.8	0.8
September	3.6	3.8	3.9	3.7	3.7	3.8	3.4	3.8	3.7
December	0.5	0.3	0.2	0.2	0.2	-0.1	0.5	0.3	0.3
2001
March	1.4	1.1	0.8	1.2	0.6	0.7	0.1	0.8	1.1
June	0.7	0.6	1.0	0.7	1.4	1.0	1.1	0.9	0.8
September	0.3	0.5	0.1	0.1	0.1	-0.4	0.2	-0.1	0.3
December	0.9	0.9	1.2	1.0	0.8	0.8	0.8	1.3	0.9
2002
March	1.0	0.9	1.0	0.8	0.8	1.0	0.2	0.5	0.9
June	0.7	0.7	0.7	1.0	0.7	1.3	0.9	1.2	0.7
September	0.6	0.7	0.8	0.9	0.9	0.4	0.3	0.7	0.7
December	0.6	0.9	0.5	0.9	0.4	0.4	0.6	0.8	0.7
2003
March	1.2	1.4	1.4	2.2	0.7	1.4	1.0	1.1	1.3
June	0.1	0.0	0.0	-0.2	0.0	0.6	0.3	0.0	0.0
September	0.1	0.6	1.1	0.8	0.9	0.2	-0.1	0.9	0.6
December	0.8	0.2	0.6	0.6	0.4	0.6	0.5	0.7	0.5
2004
March	1.0	1.0	0.8	1.0	0.3	0.7	0.4	0.7	0.9
June	0.3	0.3	0.6	0.6	1.0	0.9	0.4	0.6	0.5

		Quarter ending
Year	31 March	30 June	30 September	31 December
1985	68.1	69.7	71.3	72.7
1986	74.4	75.6	77.6	79.8
1987	81.4	82.6	84.0	85.5
1988	87.0	88.5	90.2	92.0
1989	92.9	95.2	97.4	99.2
1990	100.9	102.5	103.3	106.0
1991	105.8	106.0	106.6	107.6
1992	107.6	107.3	107.4	107.9
1993	108.9	109.3	109.8	110.0
1994	110.4	111.2	111.9	112.8
1995	114.7	116.2	117.6	118.5
1996	119.0	119.8	120.1	120.3
1997	120.5	120.2	119.7	120.0
1998	120.3	121.0	121.3	121.9
1999	121.8	122.3	123.4	124.1
2000	125.2	126.2	130.9	131.3
2001	132.7	133.8	134.2	135.4
2002	136.6	137.6	138.5	139.5
2003	141.3	141.3	142.1	142.8
2004	144.1	144.8
(a) Base of each index:1989-90 = 100.0