6530.0 - Household Expenditure Survey, Australia: Summary of Results, 2003-04  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 11/08/2005   
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ERRATUM - Released 02/02/2006

HOUSEHOLD EXPENDITURE SURVEY, AUSTRALIA, SUMMARY OF RESULTS, 2003-04

Errors have been identified in the derivation of the average weekly expenditure results published on 11 August 2005 in Household Expenditure Survey, Australia, Summary of Results, 2003-04 (cat.no. 6530.0). These errors affect 5 of the published expenditure components (or 9 components at the 10 digit level of the expenditure classification), none of which impact on the expenditure categories used from the Household Expenditure Survey (HES) in compiling CPI weights.

The average weekly expenditure for the item 'Current housing costs' has been revised upwards by $8.48, from $135.02 to $143.50, primarily to correct an $8.02 error in the derivation of average weekly mortgage interest repayments.

The average weekly expenditure for the item 'Miscellaneous goods and services' has been revised upwards by $0.90, from $78.69 to $79.59.

Some of the internet expenditure reported in HES was incorrectly classified to 'Household services and operations' rather than 'Recreation'. Correcting the classification does not affect total expenditure on goods and services but increases the average weekly expenditure for the item 'Recreation' from $112.78 to $114.68.

Another expenditure category, 'Mortgage repayments - principal (selected dwelling)', which is not part of either current housing costs or total goods and services) was also in error and the average weekly expenditure for this item has been revised upwards by $1.02, from $34.96 to $35.98.

Errors have also been identified in the derivation of 'Mean household net worth', which has been revised upwards by $706, from $473,125 to $473,831.

There was also an error in the derivation of 'Selected Life Cycle Groups' for the groups 'Couple only, reference person aged 65 and over' and 'Lone person 65 and over'. Persons aged 65 years were included in all household measures but omitted from these selected groups.

The publication 6530.0 with corrected tables, graphs and text will be reissued on 15 February, 2006. Updated State tables (cat.no. 6530.0) and Household Expenditure Survey, Australia: Detailed Expenditure Items 2003-04 (cat.no. 6535.0.55.001) will also be reissued on the same date.

These corrected data will be reflected in all future products from the 2003-04 HES, including the Household Expenditure Survey and Survey of Income and Housing - Basic and Expanded Confidentialised Unit Record Files (cat.no. 6540.0), Household Wealth and Wealth Distribution, Australia (cat.no. 6554.0), Housing Occupancy and Costs, Australia (cat.no. 4130.0.55.001) and Government Benefits, Taxes and Household Income, Australia (cat.no. 6537.0) when these products are released.

For further information about these and related statistics, contact the National Information and Referral Service on 1300 135 070 or Peter Bradbury on Canberra (02) 6252 7269.