PRICE INDEXES


CONTENTS

Consumer price index

Wage price index

House price index


CONSUMER PRICE INDEX

The all groups consumer price index (CPI) for Adelaide decreased by 0.3% in the December quarter 2008 while the weighted average of the eight capital cities also decreased by 0.3% in that quarter. Adelaide's CPI increased by 3.8% in the year ending December quarter 2008, compared with a 3.7% rise in the weighted average of the eight capital cities.

Adelaide's largest percentage increases in prices from the previous quarter were in the areas of Alcohol and tobacco (2.2%), Food (1.8%), Housing (1.0%) and Household contents and services (1.0%). The largest decreases in prices from the previous quarter were for Transportation (-7.4%) and Health (-1.0%).

WAGE PRICE INDEX

The wage price index for all employee jobs in South Australia increased by 1.4% (in original terms) from the September quarter 2008 to the December quarter 2008. This was greater than the increase nationally (1.2%) over this period.

HOUSE PRICE INDEX

Preliminary estimates show that the price index for established houses for Adelaide (in original terms) increased 0.3% in the December quarter 2008. The only other cities in which the House Price Index increased between the September Quarter 2008 and the December Quarter 2008 were Darwin (1.6%) and Canberra (0.7%). The price index for the weighted average of the eight capital cities decreased by 0.8% over this period.

Over the year to the December quarter 2008, the preliminary estimates show the price index for established houses for Adelaide rose 2.0%, while the weighted average of the eight capital cities decreased 3.3%.